Evaluation of responses of participatory broadcast audience with prediction of winning contestants; monitoring, checking and controlling of wagering, and automatic crediting and couponing

• US 20030003990A1
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1986
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Henry Von Kohorn
• Original Assignee: Henry Von Kohorn
• Inventors: Von Kohorn, Henry
• Application Number:
  US10/205,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003990A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/083 played via television
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0095 with cooperation amongst players in competitive games, e.g. non zero sum games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/638 according to the timing of operation or a time limit
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/18 Question-and-answer games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/063 with hand-placed probe or plug
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 : Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/375 : Commercial
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 : for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 : for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 : Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/98 : Physical distribution of media, e.g. postcards, CDs or DVDs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 : Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0806 : the signals being two or more video signals H04N7/0803, H04N7/081 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 : for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection

Abstract

A system and method for evaluating responses to broadcast programs, such as television programs, include an instructional signal modulated onto a signal transmitted concurrently with the television program, simulcast, or time-multiplexed with a television. At each of a plurality of remote receiving stations, one or more members of a remote audience has the opportunity to respond to a situation presented in the television program by entering a response on a keyboard. The system includes response evaluation circuitry which may be located at a central facility or partially at the central facility and partially at each remote receiving station, or completely within a response unit at each remote receiving station, in the latter case the response unit having a memory responsive to the instructional signal for storing acceptable responses, a comparison circuit for comparing responses entered at the keyboard with those stored in the memory, circuitry for scoring responses in accordance with commands from the instructional signal, and a recording device for providing a permanent record of the audience score at the remote station. For conducting a sweepstakes, numbers or other responses are entered at the remote stations and are stored at a central facility for verification. The program may be presented live conducted by a host at a central station, or by a prerecorded message accessible by telephone from a remote station with regulation from a central station, and members of the remote audience may predict or select winning contestants.

Claims

1. A system for conducting a game for individual participating players at remote locations, the players being telephone subscribers, said game being at least partially conducted by telephone, and for rewarding players who have entered an acceptable answer to a question, the system comprising:

a recording medium playback facility at a central facility;

recording media intended to be played back by said playback facility, the media having recorded thereon signals conveying at least one question which is either a single-part question or a multiple-part question and signals defining at least one acceptable answer to a question, an acceptable answer carrying a prize having monetary value;

telephonic communications means including a telephone facility between said playback facility and players'"'"' locations including means operable by a player wishing to play said game for activating said playback facility;

means for presenting a played-back recording at players'"'"' locations;

caller identification means at said telephone facility;

means at players'"'"' locations for entering an answer to a question in players'"'"' telephones;

an answer evaluation facility connected to players'"'"' telephones and to said playback facility having means for receiving entered answers from players'"'"' locations and for receiving acceptable answers from said playback facility, said evaluation facility having means for comparing an entered answer to an acceptable answer to identify a winning player'"'"'s acceptable entered answer;

means for presenting evaluation and monetary prize results to winning players; and

means for making a prize available to winning players;

wherein, if two or more answers are acceptable, one can be a preferred answer;

wherein a preferred answer receives a higher award;

wherein said evaluation facility rewards an individual answer essentially immediately following its input by a player; and

wherein said evaluation facility permits input of a single answer by a player on the spur of the moment.

102. The system according to claims 1 and 2 wherein said playback facility is located proximate to said evaluation facility.

104. The system according to claim 1 wherein an acceptable answer is spoken by a participant, and wherein said evaluation facility has programmable voice recognition means for accepting a participant'"'"'s acceptable spoken answer.

2. A system for conducting a game for participants at remote locations comprising:

a recording having recorded thereon at least one question set comprising signals including question signals conveying at least one question in open language, said question requiring an answer given within a defined time period and including answer signals conveying an acceptable answer to said questions, said answer signals being conveyed once during said time period as instructional signals in machine-readable language and once in open language essentially following said time period, to inform participants after they have answered said question, an acceptable answer carrying an award;

central means for making a recorded or a live announcement of an award to participants at remote locations;

a central playback facility activatable by a participant at participant'"'"'s remote location for playing back the signals of said recording;

means operable by an individual participant for contacting and activating said playback facility to play back the signals of said recording;

means for transmitting said signals from said playback facility on wire and/or wireless communication means;

means at participants'"'"' locations for receiving said question and answer signals conveyed in open language following said time period;

means at participants'"'"' locations for entering a participant'"'"'s answer to a question;

a central evaluation facility having means for receiving said machine-readable answer signals of the recording and means programmable by said instructional signals for recognizing and accepting a participant'"'"'s acceptable entered answer, said facility having a memory for storing award information, there being means for automatically identifying individual participants who have entered an acceptable answer;

central means for transmitting information relative to said award to said memory at the evaluation facility;

means for preventing the entering or evaluation of answers following the allowed time period;

communication means connecting participants'"'"' locations with the playback facility and the evaluation facility;

means for informing an identified participant of an award; and

means for making an award available to an identified participant who has entered an acceptable answer;

wherein, if two or more answers are acceptable, one of said answers is a preferred answer;

wherein a preferred answer receives a higher award;

wherein said evaluation facility rewards an individual answer essentially immediately following its input by participant; and

wherein said evaluation facility permits input of a single answer by a participant on the spur of the moment.

3. A method for conducting a game for participants at remote locations comprising:

providing a recording having recorded thereon signals comprising question signals conveying at least one question, said question requiring an answer given within an allowed time period known to participants and comprising instructional signals conveying an acceptable answer to said question, there being a prize for an acceptable answer;

providing a central playback facility for playing back said recording;

providing means operable by a host for activating said playback facility to play back said recording;

providing means coupled to said playback facility for transmitting signals conveying a played-back question and instructional signals conveying an acceptable answer;

participants receiving said question signals;

providing means at participants'"'"' locations for entering participants'"'"' answers to a question;

there being wired or wireless communication means connecting a central evaluation facility to participants'"'"' entering means and to the playback facility;

participants entering an answer, thereby incurring a participation charge;

providing a central evaluation facility having means for receiving said acceptable answer signals of the recording and having means programmable by said instructional signals for recognizing and accepting individual participants'"'"' acceptable entered answers, there being means for automatically identifying via said communications link individual participants who have entered an acceptable answer;

providing means for preventing the entering or evaluation of answers following the allowed time period;

preventing the evaluation of answers following the allowed time period;

said evaluation facility recognizing and accepting individual participants'"'"' acceptable answers, an acceptable answer being rewarded with a prize;

identifying individual participants who have entered an acceptable answer;

providing means for informing participants who have entered an acceptable answer and won a prize; and

informing participants who have entered an acceptable answer and won a prize;

wherein, if two or more answers are acceptable, one can be a preferred answer;

wherein a preferred answer receives a higher award;

wherein said evaluation facility rewards an individual answer essentially immediately following its input by a participant; and

wherein said evaluation facility permits input of a single answer by a participant on the spur-of the moment.

103. The system according to claim 3 whereas the accepted answer included in said recorded message is conveyed once in a form intelligible to humans and once in machine-readable form.

4. A method for conducting an automated game for participants at remote locations, comprising:

providing a first recording comprising a message including at least one question requiring a selection-type answer and an acceptable answer to said question, said question indicating a time period allowed to answer said question;

providing a central playback facility activatable by a participant for playing back the message of said first recording to said participant, including means for timing the playing back of the acceptable answer partially during and/or following said allowed time period;

providing communication means between said playback facility and participants'"'"' locations;

providing means operable by individual participants for contacting and automatically activating said playback facility to play back a message on said recording;

a participant contacting and activating said playback facility;

providing means at participants'"'"' locations for entering a selected answer to a question;

providing a central evaluating facility communicatively connected to participants'"'"' locations and to said playback facility having comparing means programmable to recognize and-accept an acceptable answer and having means for identifying individual participants who have entered an acceptable answer within the allowed time period;

programming said comparing means;

evaluating a participant'"'"'s entered answer received at said evaluation facility;

identifying participants who have entered an acceptable answer;

providing a central informing facility for playing back a second recording to inform participants who have entered an acceptable answer, the playing back of said second recording being automatically initiated by the acceptance of a participant'"'"'s entered answer; and

informing participants who have entered an acceptable answer;

wherein said evaluation facility evaluates an individual answer essentially immediately following its input by a participant; and

wherein said evaluation facility permits input of a single answer by a participant on the spur of the moment.

101. The method according to any one of the claims 4, 5, 7 and 8 wherein there is a playing back of an acceptable answer to a question, wherein the playing back of an acceptable answer to the question being delayed by approximately the length of the time period allowed for answering the question.

136. The method according to claim 4, further comprising steps of:

providing a sponsor for said game;

awarding a plurality of coupons for respective ones of a plurality of acceptable answers, each of said coupons having a code thereon, said coupons being redeemable by a shopper;

wherein at least two winning code correlations have been determined by a sponsor; and

wherein two or more winning code correlations entitle a shopper to an additional award upon redemption of said coupons, said additional award being greater than the sum of awards for said two winning code correlations.

5. A method for conducting an automated game for participants at remote locations comprising:

providing a first recording having recorded thereon signals conveying a message comprising at least one question requiring a selection-type answer given within an allowed time period and an acceptable answer to said question;

providing a central playback facility activatable by a participant for playing back and transmitting signals conveying said question to the participant and conveying said acceptable answer to an evaluation facility;

providing means operable by a participant for contacting and thereby automatically activating said playback facility to play back and transmit signals of said first recording;

providing means at participants'"'"' locations for receiving signals conveying the question of said message;

a participant activating said playback and transmission facility;

a participant receiving said question;

providing means at participants'"'"' locations for entering a selected answer to a question;

a participant entering a selected answer;

providing a central evaluation facility having means for receiving a participant'"'"'s entered answer signals, means for receiving the answer signals of the message of said first recording and logic means programmable by said answer signals for recognizing and accepting participant'"'"'s acceptable entered answer, there being means for identifying individual participants who have entered an acceptable answer;

providing communication means connecting the evaluation facility with participants'"'"' locations and said playback facility;

the evaluation facility receiving signals from said playback facility conveying an acceptable answer to said question;

the evaluation facility receiving signals conveying a participant'"'"'s entered answer;

the evaluation facility accepting or not accepting a participant'"'"'s entered answer;

identifying participants who have entered an acceptable answer;

providing means for preventing the entering or evaluation of an answer following said allowed time period;

preventing the entering or evaluation of an answer following said allowed time period;

providing a central informing facility communicatively connected to participants'"'"' locations having means for playing back and transmitting signals of a second recording informing participants who have entered an acceptable answer, the playback and transmission of said second recording being activated automatically upon the acceptance of a participant'"'"'s entered answer by said evaluation facility; and

informing participants who have entered an acceptable answer.

6. A method for conducting an automated game for participants at remote locations, comprising:

providing a first recording comprising a message including at least one question requiring a selection-type answer and an acceptable answer to said question carrying a prize, said question indicating a time period allowed to answer said question;

providing a central playback facility activatable by a participant for playing back the message of said first recording to said participant, including means for timing the playing back of the acceptable answer essentially following said allowed time period;

providing communication means between said playback facility and participants'"'"' locations;

providing means operable by individual participants for contacting and automatically activating said playback facility to play back a message on said recording;

a participant contacting and activating said playback facility;

providing means at participants'"'"' locations for entering a selected answer to a question;

providing a central evaluating facility having comparing means programmable for recognizing and accepting an acceptable answer and having means for identifying individual participants who have entered an acceptable answer within the allowed time period and have won a prize;

programming said comparing means;

evaluating a participant'"'"'s entered answer received at said evaluation facility;

identifying participants who have entered an acceptable answer and won a prize;

providing a central informing facility for playing back a second recording to inform participants who have entered an acceptable answer, the playing back of said second recording being automatically initiated by the acceptance of a participant'"'"'s entered answer; and

informing participants of a prize;

wherein said evaluation facility rewards an individual answer essentially immediately following its input by a participant; and

wherein said evaluation facility permits input of a single answer by a participant on the spur of the moment.

7. A system for transmitting task-setting program signals from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites and for responding to said program signals at said receiving stations, said system comprising:

central means for transmitting a program signal, said program including a task calling for a prescribed response within a time period allowed for responding;

central means for transmitting an instructional signal incorporating response criteria defining a prescribed response, an allowed time period and a value assigned to an acceptable response;

means at each of said receiving stations for responding to a task presented in said program;

response evaluation means responsive to said instructional signal for determining an acceptable entered response and for assigning a value to an acceptable response;

means for preventing the evaluation of a response after the allowed time period;

two-way communication means between receiving stations and response evaluation means; and

means for informing a respondent of a value assigned to said respondent'"'"'s acceptable response.

8. A system for transmitting task-setting program signals from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites and for responding to said program signals at said receiving stations, an acceptable response carrying an award, said system comprising:

central means for transmitting a first program signal including a task in the form of a question and a period of time allowed for answering;

means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said program signal to members of an audience;

central means for transmitting a second instructional signal incorporating response criteria for scoring at least one acceptable response, there being a fixed or computed award associated with acceptable responses;

means at each of said receiving stations for responding by members of said audience to a task presented in a program;

response evaluation means communicatively connected to said responding means responsive to said instructional signal, and including means for timing and means for scoring responses;

wherein said scoring ranges from the simple comparison of a task to response criteria in order to determine an acceptable response accompanied by a fixed award to the computerized processing of acceptable responses in accordance with scoring instructions to determine computed awards;

wherein said scoring instructions have been determined prior to the transmission of said program signal;

wherein said program and said instructional signals provide information of said task-setting program signals, said information comprising at least one question which is either a single-part question or a multiple-part question; and

means for informing members of said audience of an acceptable response and of a fixed or computed award therefor, said informing following the elapsing of at least a significant portion of said allowed time period;

wherein, if two or more responses are acceptable, one can be a preferred response;

wherein a preferred response receives a higher score award;

wherein said evaluation means scores an individual response essentially immediately following its input by a member; and

wherein said evaluation means permits input of a single response by a member on the spur of the moment.

9. A method for transmitting task-setting program signals from a central site to a plurality of respondents at receiving stations at remote sites and for responding to said program signals at said receiving stations, said method comprising:

formulating a task in the form of a question which is either a single-part question or a multiple-part question, and an award for an acceptable response;

providing means for transmitting a program signal;

transmitting a program signal including a task;

providing means for transmitting an instructional signal;

transmitting an instructional signal incorporating response criteria defining at least one acceptable response to said task, including said award, wherein said acceptable response has been determined prior to the transmission of said program signal;

providing means at said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said program signal;

presenting said program at said receiving stations;

providing means at each of said receiving stations for entering a response to a task presented in said program;

respondents entering a response at said receiving stations, individual respondents being identified through entered personal identification or through automatic number identification;

providing response evaluation means operatively connected to said entering means and responsive to said instructional signal for determining an acceptable entered response;

determining an acceptable entered response;

assigning to a respondent who has entered an acceptable response an award in accordance with response criteria;

informing a respondent of said award; and

making said award available to said respondent.

10. A method for transmitting task-setting program signals from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites of respondents and for responding to said program signals at said receiving stations, said method comprising:

providing central means for transmitting a program signal, a program of the program signal including a task in the form of a question which is either a single-part question or a multiple-part question;

providing central means for transmitting a signal indicating the time period allowed for a response;

providing central means for transmitting a machine-readable instructional signal defining at least one acceptable response to said task, wherein an acceptable response has been determined prior to the transmission of said program signal and carries an award defined by said instructional signal;

transmitting a task setting program signal;

transmitting a signal indicating the time period allowed for a response to said task;

receiving task-setting and time-indicating signals at said receiving stations;

transmitting instructional signals defining at least one acceptable response to said task;

providing means at each of said receiving stations for entering a response to a task presented in said program;

respondents entering a response to a task;

providing means for timing a respondent'"'"'s response;

timing a respondent'"'"'s response;

providing response evaluation means communicatively connected to said entering means and responsive to said machine-readable instructional signal for determining an acceptable entered response and its award;

providing means for identifying individual respondents;

evaluating responses to determine acceptable responses and their awards;

identifying respondents who have entered an acceptable response;

providing means for communicating award information to respondents; and

communicating award information to said respondents;

wherein, if two or more responses are acceptable, one can be a preferred response;

wherein a preferred response receives a higher award;

wherein said evaluation means rewards an individual response essentially immediately following its input by a respondent; and

wherein said evaluation means permits input of a single response by a respondent on the spur of the moment.

11. A system for transmitting task-setting program signals from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites of audience members and for responding to said program signals at said receiving stations, said system comprising:

means for transmitting a television program signal including a task in the form of a question;

means at said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted via said television program signal to members of said audience;

means for informing members of said audience of the time allowed for answering a question;

means at said receiving stations for responding to a question presented in said program;

means for providing at a central evaluation facility answer criteria defining and/or storing at least one acceptable answer to an accompanying question, an acceptable answer carrying an award;

a central facility for evaluating a response in accordance with accompanying answer criteria to identify an acceptable answer, said evaluation facility including means for means including means for comparing an audience member'"'"'s answer in accordance with answer criteria to identify an acceptable answer by an audience member carrying a fixed award and/or scoring an answer in accordance with answer criteria to identify an acceptable answer by an audience member carrying a computed award;

the system further including buffer storing means for storing at said evaluation facility an audience member'"'"'s answer and/or the answer criteria accompanying said answer at least until completion of the evaluation of said entered answer;

means for preventing an evaluation of an answer after the time allowed for answering, wherein said questions have been selected from the group comprising single-part questions, multiple-part questions, or a selection type question calling for a multiple-choice answer, and wherein an answer has been determined prior to the transmission of an accompanying question.

135. The system according to claim 19, wherein said response unit includes means for generating a token having value, said token generating means being automatically activated by a determination of an acceptable response entered in said response unit.

12. A method for transmitting task-setting program signals from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites of audience members and for responding to said program signals at said receiving stations, said method comprising:

transmitting a television program signal including a task in the form of a question;

providing means at said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said television program signal to members of said audience;

presenting said television program to members of said audience, said members being aware of the time allowed for answering a question;

providing means at said receiving stations for responding to a question presented in said program;

a member responding to a question;

providing a central facility for evaluating a member'"'"'s answer in accordance with answer criteria to reward an acceptable answer, wherein said evaluating includes a comparing of a member'"'"'s answer to an acceptable answer in accordance with answer criteria to identify a member'"'"'s acceptable answer carrying a fixed award, and/or wherein said evaluating includes a computerized scoring of a member'"'"'s answer in accordance with answer criteria to identify a member'"'"'s acceptable answer carrying a computed award;

providing buffer storing means for storing a member'"'"'s answer and/or accompanying answer criteria;

storing a member'"'"'s answer and/or accompanying answer criteria until completion of the evaluation;

providing at said central evaluation facility answer criteria for defining and/or scoring an acceptable answer to a question;

evaluating an entered answer in accordance with response criteria;

providing means for preventing a scoring of an answer after the time allowed for answering; and

preventing a scoring of an answer after the time allowed for answering, wherein an acceptable answer has been determined prior to the transmissions of said program signal;

wherein said evaluation facility scores an individual answer essentially immediately following its input by a member; and

wherein said evaluation facility permits input of a single answer by a member on the spur of the moment.

13. A method for transmitting task-setting program signals from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites of audience members and for responding to said program signals at said receiving stations, said method comprising the steps of:

formulating a task in the form of a question to be answered within an allowed period of time and accompanying answer criteria defining an acceptable answer and a reward for an acceptable answer based on a scoring mode;

providing means for transmitting a television or radio program signal including a task;

transmitting said program signal;

providing means for presenting a program including a task transmitted by said program signal to members of said audience;

presenting said program to audience members;

providing means at said receiving stations for entering an answer to a question presented in said program;

an audience member entering an answer to said question;

providing a central facility for evaluating an entered answer in accordance with accompanying answer criteria including the determination of a reward to an acceptable entered answer, said evaluation facility comprising means for comparing an entered answer to an acceptable answer and means for the scoring of an acceptable entered answer to determine a reward in accordance with a scoring mode;

providing response criteria at said evaluation facility;

providing buffer storing means at said evaluation facility for storing an audience member'"'"'s entered answer and/or answer criteria accompanying said answer until completion of said evaluation step;

providing means for preventing an evaluation of an answer after the time allowed for answering; and

evaluating an entered answer including the determining of a reward for an acceptable entered answer;

wherein an acceptable answer and a scoring mode have been determined prior to the transmission of the program;

wherein said evaluation facility rewards an individual answer essentially immediately following its input by a member; and

wherein said evaluation facility permits input of a single answer by a member on the spur of the moment.

14. A system for transmitting task-setting program signals from a central location to a plurality of receiving stations and for responding to said program signals at said receiving stations, said system comprising:

means at a central location for transmitting a program signal, including a task, to respondents at receiving stations, said task essentially requiring only a confirmation by respondents of being tuned to said program;

means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said program signal;

means at a central location for transmitting an instructional signal incorporating predetermined response criteria defining an acceptable response to a task to be entered within a very short time period following said task signal, said response criteria having been determined prior to the transmission of said task;

a response unit at each of said receiving stations, the response unit having means for entering a response to a task, means for receiving response criteria signals, buffer storing means for storing said response criteria and/or an entered response, means responsive to response criteria signals for comparing an entered response to response criteria to determine an acceptable entered response, means for timing a response, and means for informing respondents of an acceptable entered response;

wherein said comparing means compare an individual response essentially immediately following its input by a respondent; and

wherein said comparing means permits input of a single response answer by a respondent on the spur of the moment.

15. A system for conducting a tamper-resisting game for players at playing stations responding to a task communicated from a central location and for identifying an acceptable response by a player, the system comprising:

a central tamper-resisting data storage facility;

a facility at a central location for determining a task and response criteria defining at least one acceptable response to said task, said response criteria including a rating scale for acceptable responses;

a plurality of remote playing stations for players, including means at each playing station for entering response data by individual players;

first communication means for transmitting task data from a central location to players'"'"' stations;

second communication means for transmitting instructional signals conveying response criteria data from a central location to said tamper-resisting data storage facility;

third communication means for transmitting a player'"'"'s entered response data to said data storage facility;

means for identifying players having entered a response;

means operatively connected to said data storage facility and responsive to instructional signals for comparing a player'"'"'s entered response data to acceptable response data to determine a player'"'"'s acceptable entered response and its rating;

means for comparing the ratings of players having entered acceptable responses to each other to determine a relative standing of players;

means for preventing the comparing of a player'"'"'s entered response following a predetermined point in time; and

means for informing identified players of their relative standings;

wherein said task comprises at least one question which is either a single-part question or a multiple-part question; and

wherein an acceptable response has been determined prior to communicating task data to players'"'"' stations.

16. A system for transmitting task-setting program signals from a central site to a plurality of competing respondents at receiving stations at remote sites and for responding to said program signals at said receiving stations, said system comprising:

central means for transmitting a television program signal including a task requiring a response;

means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said television program signal to competing respondents;

central means for transmitting an instructional signal incorporating response criteria comprising a mode for scoring responses;

means at a comparison center for receiving said instructional signals;

means at each of said receiving stations for responding to a task presented in said program;

means for transmitting responses by respondents to a comparison center; and

a response comparison center having means for receiving responses and means responsive to said instructional signal for scoring responses in accordance with said scoring mode, said comparison center being coupled to means for identifying respondents who have responded to a task, said comparison center having means for determining the relative standing of identified competing respondents and having means for storing received responses and/or instructional signals until completion of response comparisons.

17. A system for conducting an event monitored by a host and requiring an acceptable decision relative to the event, wherein individuals at remote locations endeavoring to become successful participants prior to knowing the outcome of the event are billed for participation, and wherein successful participants having met defined criteria receive a payment award, the system comprising:

central facilities for electronically transmitting signals conveying information pertaining to an event, the outcome of which is not known to participants;

means for presenting said information at remote locations;

central facilities for electronically transmitting, by a host, signals conveying outcome criteria defining an acceptable decision about the event and defining an award associated with an acceptable decision;

means at remote locations for receiving signals conveying said outcome criteria and said award;

means at remote locations operable by a participant for entering data indicating a decision about the event and comprising means for authorizing a central account maintenance facility to debit a participant'"'"'s account for participant'"'"'s participation;

central means for electronically transmitting signals conveying event outcome information to remote locations and to central evaluation means;

a central evaluation sub-system comprising;

means for receiving a participant'"'"'s entered decision;

means for identifying participants having entered a decision;

means for receiving outcome criteria; and

means for evaluating participants'"'"' entered decision, including means for comparing individual participants'"'"' entered decisions to event outcome information on the basis of outcome criteria and including means for determining an award for an acceptable decision based on outcome criteria;

means for crediting a successful participant'"'"'s account with a central amount maintenance facility with said award; and

means for informing a successful participant of said award.

18. A system for evaluating a prediction wherein a participant predicts an outcome of an event and is rewarded for a successful prediction, the system comprising:

a central facility for electronically transmitting to participants at remote locations information regarding an event, the outcome of which is not known to participants;

means at participants'"'"' locations for presenting said information;

means at participants'"'"' locations for entering predictive outcome data relative to the outcome of the event;

a tamper-resisting storage for a participant'"'"'s predictive outcome data;

communicating means for communicating a participant'"'"'s predictive outcome data to said storage;

means for the electronic transmission of outcome data relative to an outcome of said event;

central means for receiving said outcome data;

central means for determining at least one acceptable prediction of the outcome of said event;

central means for determining an award for an acceptable prediction;

central means communicatively connected to said storage for participants'"'"' predictive data for evaluating predictions entered by individual participants by comparing a participant'"'"'s predictive data with an acceptable prediction to determine a successful participant'"'"'s acceptable entered prediction and an award therefor;

means for preventing the entering or evaluation of participants'"'"' predictions after a determined point in time;

means for identifying successful participants through said communication means;

means for informing successful participants of an outcome of said event; and

making an award available to successful participants.

19. A system for evaluating a prediction wherein a participant predicts an outcome of an event and is rewarded for a successful prediction, the system comprising:

a central facility for electronically transmitting to participants at remote locations information regarding an event, the outcome of which is not known to participants;

means at participants'"'"' locations for presenting said information;

means at participants'"'"' locations for entering predictive outcome data relative to the outcome of an event;

a central tamper-resisting storage for a participant'"'"'s predictive outcome data;

first communicating means for communicating a participant'"'"'s predictive outcome data to said storage;

means for identifying individual participants through said first communicating means;

means for electronically debiting an account maintained by said participant at a central facility for making a prediction;

means for the electronic transmission of outcome data relative to an outcome of said event;

central means for storing said outcome data;

central means for determining at least one acceptable prediction of the outcome of said event;

central means for determining an award for an acceptable prediction of an outcome of said event;

second communicating means for communicating a participant'"'"'s stored predictive data to prediction evaluation means;

central means for evaluating predictions entered by individual participants by comparing a participant'"'"'s predictive outcome data with an acceptable prediction to determine a participant'"'"'s acceptable entered prediction and an award therefor;

means for preventing the entering or evaluation of participant'"'"'s predictions after a determined point in time;

means for identifying successful participants who have entered an acceptable prediction through said first communication means;

means for informing successful participants of an outcome of said event; and

crediting an account maintained by said successful participant at a central facility with said determined award.

20. A method for conducting an event monitored by a host and requiring an acceptable decision relative to the event, wherein individuals at remote locations endeavoring to become successful participants prior to knowing the outcome of the event are billed for participation and wherein successful participants having met defined criteria receive a payment award, the method comprising the steps of:

providing central facilities for electronically transmitting signals conveying information pertaining to an event, said information being suitable for presentation at a remote location;

formulating at a host'"'"'s location outcome criteria defining an acceptable decision;

providing central facilities for electronically transmitting to the remote locations signals conveying outcome criteria defining an acceptable decision about the event;

providing means at remote locations for receiving signals conveying said event information and signals conveying said outcome criteria;

providing means at remote locations operable by a participant for entering data indicating a decision about the events and comprising means for authorizing a billing by a central facility for a participant'"'"'s participation;

providing central means for determining whether a participant has met the outcome criteria defining an acceptable decision by comparing a participant'"'"'s decision on said outcome criteria;

transmitting signals from a central facility conveying said event information for presentation at remote locations;

transmitting signals from a central facility conveying outcome criteria to said determining means;

entering by a participant, a decision about the event;

determining whether a participant has met outcome criteria defining an acceptable decision;

identifying a successful participant'"'"'s acceptable decision; and

indicating to successful participants a payment award for an acceptable decision.

21. A method for conducting a tamper-resistant game in which players make a prediction relative to an event, the method comprising the steps of:

conducting an event at a central location;

visually and/or audibly informing players at remote locations of said event;

by visual or audible message inviting players to predict an outcome relative to said event;

providing players with means for entering a prediction;

a player entering predictive outcome data relative to said event in an entering means;

providing a central data storage facility inaccessible to said player;

communicating a player'"'"'s predictive outcome data from said entering means to said central data storage facility;

a player'"'"'s predictive data being stored in said storage facility;

said event taking place, there being at least one formulated acceptable outcome prediction of said event;

communicating data relative to said acceptable prediction from a central location to a central evaluation facility;

providing a central evaluation facility communicatively connected to said storage facility for comparing a player'"'"'s entered predictive outcome data to said formulated acceptable outcome prediction, to determine whether a player'"'"'s entered prediction is an acceptable prediction;

preventing the comparing of a player'"'"'s entered prediction following a determined point in time; and

determining whether a player'"'"'s entered prediction is an acceptable prediction.

22. For use in connection with an event, a method for evaluating a prediction wherein a participant at a remote location predicts an outcome of an event related to said event and is informed of the accuracy of the prediction following the event, the method comprising the steps of:

providing means for the electronic signal transmission of data presenting information regarding an event;

electronically communicating information regarding said event to participants at remote locations;

providing means at participants'"'"' remote locations for presenting information related to said event;

presenting said information to participants;

providing to participants means for entering a prediction including predictive data predicting the outcome of a predicted event related to said event;

a participant entering a prediction;

providing means for the electronic signal transmission of outcome data related to the outcome of said predicted event;

receiving said outcome data at participants'"'"' locations;

presenting outcome data to participants;

providing means, including electronic communication means for identifying individual participants;

providing at a central. location a central facility including means for receiving outcome data, a tamper-resisting data storage for storing a participant'"'"'s predictive data, said facility including means for comparing a participant'"'"'s predictive data with outcome data of the predicted event;

providing means for electronic communication between participants'"'"' locations and said central facility;

electronically communicating an identified participant'"'"'s predictive data to said central facility;

comparing a participant'"'"'s predictive data with said outcome data at said central facility;

preventing said comparing after a determined point in time;

electronically communicating information of comparison results from said central facility to an identified participant'"'"'s location;

providing at a participant'"'"'s location means for presenting information of comparison results to a successful participant whose predictive data coincide at least partially with said outcome data of the predicted event; and

informing a successful participant of comparison results;

wherein said comparing of an individual prediction is performed essentially immediately following the occurrence of the predicted event; and

wherein a participant can enter a prediction on the spur of the moment and is informed of comparison results essentially immediately following the occurrence of said predicted event.

105. The system according to claim 22 having communication means for informing respondents of response comparison results.

23. In a method for conducting an event in which successful participants who have acceptably responded to a question or made an acceptable prediction and who are rewarded with prizes having monetary value in the form of a token and the like dispensed to such successful participant, the improvement comprising the steps of:

determining at a central location a monetary prize amount;

upon issuance a prize in the form of a token, or the like, exceeding the determined amount, instituting a forgery resisting procedure comprising the steps of;

recording on said token verification data, including an identification of the event which has resulted in said prize being won and in the dispensing of said token to a successful participant;

communicating said verification data and event identification to a central data storage facility inaccessible to participants;

upon presentation of one of said tokens by a participant for redemption or payment at a paying agent'"'"'s location, contacting by said paying agent said central data storage facility requesting, authentication of said verification data;

the central data storage facility authenticating said verification data; and

said paying agent paying the amount of an authenticated prize to the presenting participant.

24. A method for wagering comprising steps of:

transmitting from a transmission facility, at a central location, electronic signals having information regarding an event;

providing a central account facility having means for electronically debiting and crediting an account of a participant;

providing means for recording wagering information, the wagering information including a wagered amount and predictive data relative to an outcome of the event, the means for recording including tamper-resisting means for storing wagering information entered by the participant;

providing means for comparing the predictive data in the wagering information to an outcome of the event;

presenting the electronic signals at remote locations;

placing a wager by the participant, the step of placing a wager including entering wagering information into the means for recording;

communicating at least some of the wagering information, entered into the means for recording, to the central account facility and the means for comparing;

automatically comparing the predictive data of the participant'"'"'s wagering information entered into the means for recording to the outcome of the event by the means for comparing;

determining a payoff amount upon at least some of the predictive data entered by the participant corresponding to the outcome of the event; and

automatically crediting the account of the participant the payoff amount upon at least some of the predictive data corresponding to the outcome of the event.

25. A method for wagering comprising steps of:

transmitting from a transmission facility at a central location, electronic signals having information regarding an event;

providing a central account facility having means for electronically debiting and crediting an account of a participant;

providing means for recording wagering information, the wagering information including a wagered amount and predictive data regarding an outcome of the event;

providing means for determining odds data regarding the outcome of the event;

placing a wager by the participant including entering wagering information into the means for recording;

debiting the account of the participant the wagered amount;

communicating the wager to the central account facility along with identification data that identifies the participant'"'"'s account;

comparing the entered wagering information to the outcome of the event, the step of comparing comprising receiving electronic signals having outcome data of the event and comparing the outcome data to the wagering information entered into the means for recording; and

automatically crediting the account of the participant a payoff amount upon an occurrence of the predictive data corresponding, at least partially, to the outcome of the event.

26. A method for comparing a prediction, made by a player at a temporary site relative to the outcome of an event, to the actual outcome of the predicted event, and for generating at the player'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating a value assigned to said player'"'"'s prediction, the method comprising the steps of:

presenting to players at their temporary sites information relative to an event, the outcome of which is not known to players at the time of said presentation;

providing means at a player'"'"'s temporary site for entering predictive data relative to the outcome of said event, and an information identifying signal receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location;

a player entering predictive data;

providing means for communicating said entered predictive data and data identifying said receiving means to a central location;

providing means at a central location for receiving said data;

communicating said data to a central location;

at a central location providing means programmable by the operator of the system for comparing a player'"'"'s prediction to the outcome of an event and for assigning a value to said player'"'"'s prediction;

upon occurrence of said event, comparing said player'"'"'s prediction to the outcome of said event and assigning a value to said player'"'"'s prediction;

providing means at players'"'"' permanent locations controllable by instructional signals for generating a record indicating the value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction;

providing means for communicating instructional signals conveying the value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction from said comparing means to said identified receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location, said receiving means being operatively connected to said generating means;

communicating said assigned value to said record generating means through said receiving means; and

generating a record at a player'"'"'s permanent location, said record indicating the value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction.

27. A tamper-resisting system for conducting a game for individual participating players at remote locations and for rewarding participants who have entered an acceptable answer to a question, said system comprising:

a first facility for formulating a question set comprising a question which is either a single-part question or a multiple-part question, and for designating at least a time period allowed for answering a question, and for designating a reward for an acceptable question;

a playback facility for a recording medium at a central location;

recording media intended to be played by said playback facility to provide played-back messages, the recording media having messages comprising at least a question and accompanying answer recorded thereon;

means for transmitting signals of said played-back messages;

means for transmitting signals conveying an announcement of a reward for an acceptable answer, wherein an announcement of a reward for an acceptable answer can be altered independently of a transmission of a question;

means at a financial service provider for administering accounts of individual ones of said players;

a central facility, and a tamper-resisting data storage for players'"'"' answers to questions;

a sub-system at each player'"'"'s remote location comprising;

means operative by a participating player for contacting the central facility to activate said playback facility and enabling said signal transmitting means to convey said messages, and means for transmitting a reward announcement;

means for receiving said message;

means for receiving the reward announcement; and

means for entering an answer to a question by a participating player;

said system further including;

communication means for transmitting entered answers and a player'"'"'s identification from a player'"'"'s location to said data storage;

wherein a central facility is communicatively connected to said data storage for evaluating entered answers, said central facility having means for receiving signals defining an acceptable answer and having means for comparing an entered answer to an acceptable answer, the results of such evaluation determining an acceptable entered answer;

wherein said facility includes signal receiving means conveying a reward and means for generating instructional signals directing the crediting of an individual identified player'"'"'s account with the amount of said reward;

means for preventing the evaluation of an answer following said allowed time period; and

means for communicating evaluation results from said evaluation facility to identified players at their remote locations.

28. A system for conducting a game for participants at remote locations comprising:

facilities for maintaining and administering monetary accounts of participants, including electronic debiting and crediting means;

a recording having recorded thereon signals comprising question signals conveying at least one question in open language, said question requiring an answer given within an allowed time period, said recording comprising answer signals conveying an acceptable answer to said question as instructional machine-readable signals, there being a charge for participating in said game and an award for an acceptable answer;

means connected to a central playback facility and operable by participants for activating said playback facility to play back said recording;

means at participants'"'"' locations for receiving said question;

means for debiting a participant'"'"'s account upon activating said playback facility;

means at participants'"'"' locations for entering participants'"'"' answers to a question;

means for communicating a participant'"'"'s entered answer to a central evaluation facility;

a central evaluation facility having means for receiving a participant'"'"'s entered answer and said machine-readable acceptable answer signals, the facility having means programmable by said instructional signals for recognizing and accepting participants'"'"' acceptable entered answers, there being means for automatically identifying successful participants who have entered an acceptable answer, there being a credit for an acceptable entered answer;

means connected to said evaluation facility for electronically crediting a successful participant'"'"'s account;

means for preventing the entering or evaluation of answers following the allowed time period; and

means for automatically informing successful participants of a credit.

29. A system for the conducting by a system operator of a game for participants at remote locations in which successful participants are credited with an award, the system comprising:

a first recording having recorded thereon a message comprising at least one question portion requiring a selection-type answer indicating a time period allowed to answer said question and an acceptable answer portion;

a central playback facility for playing back the message of said first recording to said participant, including means for timing the playing back of the acceptable answer portion of said played-back message essentially following said allowed time period;

means operable by individual participants for contacting and thereby activating said playback facility to play back said recording thereby also automatically authorizing a billing charge to said participant'"'"'s account with the system operator;

means for transmitting signals conveying the question portion of said message and for transmitting signals conveying the acceptable answer portion of said message;

central means for transmitting a message announcing an award to successful participants, said announcement being live or recorded;

means at participants'"'"' locations for responding to a question;

a central response facility having means for receiving participants'"'"' response signals, receiving means for acceptable answer signals, said facility having comparison means for recognizing and accepting an acceptable answer and having means for identifying individual successful participants who have entered an acceptable answer within the allowed time period;

communications means connecting said central response facility with participants'"'"' locations and said playback facility; and

central means for transmitting a message informing successful participants of an award credited to their account.

30. A system for transmitting a task-setting program signal from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites of audience members, said audience members having an account with a bank or other service provider, said system rewarding a member who has responded acceptably to said task with a credit to said member'"'"'s account, the system comprising:

means for transmitting a television or radio program or internet signal including a task in the form of a question, an acceptable answer to a question qualifying for an award, there being a cut-off point in time for answering;

electronic means at a central location for debiting or crediting accounts of at least some of said audience members, said means being responsive to instructional electronic signals;

means at said receiving stations for presenting a program including a task transmitted by said program signal to members of said audience;

means at said receiving stations for responding to a question presented in said program;

a central facility for evaluating a member'"'"'s answer in accordance with accompanying answer criteria to identify a successful member'"'"'s acceptable answer, wherein said evaluating comprises a comparing of a member'"'"'s answer to an acceptable answer to determine a member'"'"'s acceptable answer qualifying for a fixed award or a computerized award determined in accordance with answer criteria;

means for providing at said central evaluation facility answer criteria identifying at least one acceptable answer to an accompanying question and determining at least one fixed or computerized accompanying award;

buffer storing means for storing at said evaluation facility an audience member'"'"'s answer and/or the answer criteria accompanying a question at least until completion of the evaluation of a member'"'"'s answer;

means for preventing an evaluation of an answer after the cut-off point for answering; and

means for transmitting instructional electronic signals from said evaluation facility to said account crediting means to credit a successful member'"'"'s account.

114. The method according to any one of claims 30, 31, 33 and 34 wherein the event is a roulette game and wherein the predicted event is a number constituting a winning number.

115. The method according to any one of claims 30, 31, 33 and 34 wherein the event is a roulette game and wherein the predicted event is a combination of numbers recognized as a winning combination by the operator of the roulette game.

116. The method according to any one of claims 30, or 31, or 33 or 34 wherein the event is a sporting event drawn from the class of sporting events consisting of a football game, a horse race, a baseball game, a golf tournament, a basketball game, a hockey game, a boxing bout, a tennis match, a dog race and a trotting race;

and

wherein the predicted event is a result related of said sporting event.

31. A system for conducting a game for individual participating players at remote locations and for rewarding players who have entered an acceptable answer to a question, the system comprising:

a recording medium playback facility at a central location;

recording media intended to be played back by said playback facility, the recording media having recorded thereon messages comprising signals conveying at least one question which is either a single-part question or a multiple-part question and signals defining at least one acceptable answer to a question;

a communications means between said playback facility and players'"'"' locations, including means for activating said playback facility by a player and for communicating played-back messages to players'"'"' locations;

means at players'"'"' locations for entering an answer to a question;

an answer evaluation facility communicatively connected to said playback facility, having means for receiving entered answers from players'"'"' locations and for receiving acceptable answers from said playback facility, said evaluation facility having means for comparing an entered answer to an acceptable answer to identify an acceptable entered answer, an acceptable entered answer carrying a prize in a monetary amount;

a financial facility for carrying and administering monetary accounts in the names of players;

two-way communications means for communicating a player'"'"'s entered answer to said evaluation facility and for communicating evaluation results to players; and

means for electronically crediting a player'"'"'s account at said financial facility with the amount of said prize.

32. A system for conducting a game for individual participating players at remote locations and for informing players who have entered an acceptable answer to a question, the system comprising:

a recording medium playback facility at a central location;

recording media intended to be played back by said playback facility, the recording media having recorded thereon messages comprising signals conveying at least one question which is either a single-part question or a multiple-part question and signals defining at least one acceptable answer to a question;

a communications means between said playback facility and players'"'"' locations, including means operable by a player wishing to play said game for activating said playback facility and for communicating played back messages to players'"'"' locations, there being a charge for playing said game;

a facility for carrying and administering players'"'"' financial accounts;

means for electronically debiting a player'"'"'s account at said facility in the amount of said charge upon the activating of the playback facility by a player;

an answer evaluation facility connected to said playback facility, having means for receiving entered answers from players'"'"' locations and for receiving acceptable answers from said playback facility, said evaluation facility having means for comparing an entered answer to an acceptable answer to identify an acceptable entered answer, enable entered answer carrying a prize in a monetary amount;

two-way communications means for communicating a player'"'"'s entered answer to said evaluation facility and for communicating evaluation results to players; and

means for electronically crediting a player'"'"'s account at said facility with the amount of said prize.

33. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting messages electronically transmitted to receivers of respondents at remote locations, wherein a task may include a question, said respondents maintaining an account with a telephone company or other service provider, which method comprises:

formulating at least one task-setting message for transmission to respondents comprising a task, and response criteria for each task, said response criteria including acceptable responses, a timing of a response for determined time intervals and a scoring basis with at least one difficulty level;

transmitting from a central station signals conveying a task to receivers at remote locations;

receiving signals conveying said task at remote locations;

transmitting from a central station signals conveying response criteria determining an acceptable response to a task, a scoring basis and a time interval;

entering responses to said tasks on entering devices at said remote locations;

evaluating respondents'"'"' entered responses relative to said response criteria, including a timing of responses;

determining winning responses meeting said response criteria, including a scoring of acceptable responses;

identifying winning respondents using caller identification means;

scoring each winning response relative to the scoring basis of said response criteria, each score indicating a monetary amount;

crediting a scored amount to a winning respondent'"'"'s account;

informing winning respondents of said crediting;

modifying by at least partially reformulating said response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to fit a subsequent task;

transmitting the response criteria signals with modified response criteria independently of a transmission of said task-setting signals;

repeating the foregoing steps, wherein a repetition of modifying a response criteria includes a reformulating of individual ones of said first mentioned response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to be applied to tasks of subsequent ones of said task-setting messages;

crediting amounts to winning respondents'"'"' Accounts; and

informing winning respondents.

106. A method as in claim 36 wherein the step of placing a wager includes entering identification data that identifies the participant.

107. A method as in claim 36 wherein the step of placing a wager includes entering account identification data that identifies the account of the participant.

108. A method as in claim 36 further comprising automatically debiting the account of the participant the wagered amount upon the predictive data not corresponding to the outcome of the event.

109. A method as in claim 34 further comprising transmitting electronic signals having outcome data of the event to the remote location.

110. A method as in claim 34 further comprising transmitting electronic signals having account information to the participant regarding the participant'"'"'s account only.

111. A method as in claim 34 further comprising transmitting electronic signals applying outcome data to the means for comparing.

112. A method as in claim 36 further comprising preventing the placing of the wager by the participant at a predetermined time before the event commences.

113. A method as in claim 36 wherein there is continuous updating of odds data used to determine the payoff amount based upon wagering information communicated to the means for comparing.

137. The method according to claim 136 wherein at least two pairs of coupons, each pair comprising one first coupon and one second coupon, and each pair indicating a winning code correlation, are identified by a shopper;

and

wherein, upon redemption of at least two such pairs, there is a further step of rewarding the shopper with an additional award for each of said pairs in excess of one.

138. The method according to claim 137, wherein at least some of said first and second coupons indicate discounts on the same products.

139. The method according to claim 137, wherein said first and/or second coupons further indicate a code not discernible to shoppers as a winning code;

wherein the sponsor has determined a correlation between said undiscernible and intelligible codes to be a winning code correlation; and

wherein such winning code correlation is revealed to a shopper upon redemption of said coupons and entitles said shopper to an additional award.

142. A method according to claim 140 wherein, in said transmitting step, a task requires a yes or no answer, and wherein, in said scoring step, a non-zero value is accorded a correct answer.

143. A method according to claim 140 wherein, in said transmitting step, said task requires a set of answers for which each answer is a yes or no and wherein, said scoring is accomplished by allocating a value dependent on the number of correct answers to the task.

144. A method according to claim 140 wherein, in said transmitting step, a task is provided with at least one question requiring a multiple-choice answer and, wherein said scoring is accomplished by an award of points based on the selected choice of answer.

145. A method according to claim 140 wherein, in said transmitting step of transmitting signals, said tasks include the playing of a game.

146. A method according to claim 140 wherein, in said step of creating a record, said record includes a coupon, said method further comprising a step of dispensing said coupon as a reward to a member of said audience having responded with an acceptable response.

147. A method according to claim 146 wherein, in said step of creating a record, said coupon is formed as a single sheet of material, said material including a component which is paper or plastic or rubber or metal.

148. A method according to claim 147 wherein said coupon has data thereon designating a plurality of awards available to a member of the remote audience, and wherein the method includes a further step of selecting an award by tearing or puncturing or marking the coupon with a machine readable mark to indicate a selected award.

149. A method according to claim 147 wherein said coupon includes data imprinted by machine-readable magnetic or optical code designating a plurality of awards available to a member of said remote audience, and wherein said method includes a step of reading said code to enable a selecting of an award.

150. A method according to claim 149 wherein, in said step of creating a record, said coupon embodies a credit card.

151. A method according to claim 150 further comprising a step of crediting a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria.

152. A method according to claim 140 further comprising a step of crediting a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said altered response criteria.

153. A method according to claim 151 wherein said crediting is accomplished electronically.

154. A method according to claim 151 wherein said crediting is accomplished by issuing coupons carrying a reward having value.

156. A method according to claim 155 wherein, in said step of transmitting signals, said tasks include the playing of a game.

157. A method according to claim 155 wherein said step of crediting includes a step of creating a record of scored response results from said scoring step.

158. A method according to claim 157 wherein, in said step of creating a record, said record includes token means having the physical shape of a coin or coupon, said method further comprising a step of dispensing said token means as a reward to a member of said audience having responded with an acceptable response.

159. A method according to claim 155 wherein said crediting includes a dispensing of token means having the physical shape of a coin or coupon at a site remote from members of said audience.

160. A method according to claim 155 wherein said crediting is accomplished electronically.

161. A method according to claim 155 wherein said crediting is accomplished by issuing token means exchangeable for a reward having value.

162. A method according to claim 155 wherein a member of said remote audience is provided with response means linked electronically to said central station for outputting token means representative of an acceptable response to said task, and said step of crediting is accomplished by said response means for issuing said token means at the location of a member of said remote audience.

163. A method according to claim 155 wherein a member of said remote audience is provided with response means linked electronically to said central station for outputting token means representative of an acceptable response to said task, and said step of comparing is accomplished by said response means at the location of a member of said remote audience.

164. A method according to claim 155 wherein said comparing is performed at a site separate from members of said audience.

167. A method according to claim 165 wherein, in said step of transmitting signals, said tasks include the playing of a game.

168. A method according to claim 165 wherein said crediting includes a dispensing of token means at a site remote from members of said audience.

171. A method according to claim 169 further comprising a step of providing to members of the remote audience instructions for responding to said tasks.

172. A method according to claim 169 wherein, in said step of transmitting signals, said tasks include the playing of a game.

173. A method according to claim 169 wherein said crediting includes a dispensing of token means at a site remote from members of said audience.

174. A method according to claim 169 wherein a member of said remote audience is provided with response means linked electronically to said central station for outputting token means representative of an acceptable response to said responding step, and said step of crediting is accomplished by said response means at the location of a member of said remote audience.

175. A method according to claim 169 wherein a member of said remote audience is provided with a response means linked electronically to said central station for outputting token means representative of an acceptable response to said responding step, and said step of comparing is accomplished by said response means at the location of a member of said remote audience.

176. A method according to claim 169 wherein said comparing is performed at a site remote from members of said audience.

177. A method according to claim 169 wherein said comparing is performed at said central station.

179. A method according to claim 178 wherein, in said step of transmitting signals, said tasks include the playing of a game.

180. A method according to claim 178 wherein said step of crediting includes a step of creating a record of scored response results from said scoring step.

181. A method according to claim 180 wherein, in said step of creating a record, said record includes a coupon, said method further comprising a step of dispensing said coupon as a reward to a member of said audience having responded with an acceptable response.

183. A method according to claim 182 wherein, in said step of transmitting signals, said tasks include the playing of a game.

184. A method according to claim 182 wherein said step of crediting includes a step of creating a record of scored response results from said scoring step.

185. A method according to claim 184 wherein, in said step of creating a record, said record includes token means having the configuration of a coin or a coupon, said method further comprising a step of dispensing said token means as a reward to a member of said audience having responded with an acceptable response.

187. A method according to claim 186 wherein, in said step of transmitting signals, said tasks include the playing of a game.

189. A method according to claim 188 wherein said crediting is accomplished electronically.

190. A method according to claim 188 wherein said crediting is accomplished by issuing coupons exchangeable for a reward having value.

193. A system according to claim 192 wherein an individual one of said tasks includes the playing of a game.

194. A system according to claim 192 wherein said record comprises a coupon, said record generating means comprises means for dispensing said coupon as a reward to a member of said audience having responded with an acceptable response.

195. A system according to claim 194 wherein said coupon comprises a sheet of material wherein at least a portion of the material is paper, or rubber or plastic or metal, and wherein said coupon is imprinted with data of said record.

196. A system according to claim 195 wherein said coupon is imprinted with machine-readable magnetic or optical code.

197. A system according to claim 195 wherein said data includes a plurality of rewards, wherein at least one reward can be selected by a member of the audience by perforating, tearing or marking the coupon with a machine-readable mark.

198. A system according to claim 192 wherein said record comprises token means configured as a coin or a coupon, said reward generating means comprises means for dispensing said token means as a reward to a member of said audience having responded with an acceptable response.

199. A system according to claim 192 wherein a modification of a signal of said transmitter means or of said applying means produces a modification of scoring criteria from a first response criteria to a second response criteria, and said scoring means applies credits to a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said first response criteria and said second response criteria.

200. A system according to claim 199 wherein crediting is accomplished electronically by said scoring means.

201. A system according to claim 199 wherein said credits are outputted by said generating means by issuance of said record as a token means carrying a reward having value.

34. A method for conducting a prize event for audience members of broadcast stations, comprising the steps of:

formulating at a central location at least one task, such as a question, and an accompanying acceptable response, such as an answer to be entered within a specified time frame;

formulating a prize awarded to an audience member who has entered a winning acceptable response within the specified time frame;

a station broadcasting a program including at least one question and associated prize information, and including accompanying acceptable response data;

receiving a question by audience members;

receiving acceptable response data at a central data storage means;

an audience member responding to said task by entering a response in a telephone;

identifying the number of the telephone in which the response was entered by use of telephone number identification means;

providing telephonic communication means between an audience member and a central evaluation facility;

providing a central evaluation facility including entered response data storage means and acceptable response data storage means, said facility being connected to members'"'"' telephones and having means for comparing a member'"'"'s entered response with an acceptable response to identify a winning entered response;

storing in said evaluation facility entered response data and/or acceptable response data until a winning entered response has been identified;

evaluating an entered response at said evaluation facility by comparing a response entered within said time frame to an acceptable response to determine a winning entered response and associated prize;

automatically transmitting winning response and prize information to said identified winning telephone number; and

crediting said prize to said winning telephone number.

35. A method for conducting a game for television viewers maintaining an account with a provider of financial services including debiting and crediting of television viewers'"'"' accounts, the method comprising:

providing a recording having recorded thereon signals comprising question signals conveying to television viewers at least one question, said question requiring an answer given within an allowed time period made known to participants and comprising answer signals conveying an acceptable answer to said question, said answer signals being conveyed once as instructional signals to an evaluation facility and once essentially following said time period, to inform television viewers of an acceptable answer, an acceptable answer being rewarded;

providing a central playback facility for playing back said recording;

providing means for transmitting signals conveying a played-back question to television viewers;

formulating a reward for an acceptable answer;

announcing a reward for an acceptable answer;

providing means at television viewers'"'"' locations for receiving a question;

providing means operable by individual participating television viewers for responding to said question, thereby authorizing a charge to participant'"'"'s account with said service provider;

a participant responding and incurring a charge;

providing a central evaluation facility having means for receiving said instructional signals and means programmable by said instructional signals for recognizing and accepting participants'"'"' acceptable answers, there being means for automatically identifying individual participants who have entered an acceptable answer;

providing means for preventing responding or the evaluation of answers following the allowed time period;

preventing responding or the evaluation of answers following the allowed time period;

providing communication means connecting the evaluation facility with participants'"'"' locations and the playback facility;

informing television viewers of an acceptable answer;

recognizing and accepting a successful participant'"'"'s acceptable answer;

identifying an individual successful participant who has won a reward; and

crediting the account of said successful participant with said service provider.

36. A method for conducting a game for television viewers at remote locations who are potential game participants, the method comprising:

providing a recording having recorded thereon signals comprising question signals conveying to television viewers at least one question, a question of said question signals requiring an answer given within an allowed time period made known to participants, and recorded signals further comprising answer signals conveying an acceptable answer to said question, said answer signals being conveyed once as instructional signals to an evaluation facility and once essentially following said time period, to inform television viewers of an acceptable answer;

providing a central playback facility for playing back said recording;

formulating a financial reward for an acceptable answer;

making a financial reward for an acceptable answer known to potential game participants;

providing means for transmitting signals conveying a played-back question to television viewers;

providing means at television viewers'"'"' locations for receiving a question;

providing means operable by individual participating television viewers for responding to said question, individual participating viewers having an account at a central location for debiting and crediting viewers'"'"' accounts;

a participant responding and thereby authorizing a charge to said account;

providing a central evaluation facility having means for receiving said instructional signals and means programmable by said instructional signals for recognizing and accepting participants'"'"' acceptable answers, there being means for automatically identifying individual participants who have entered an acceptable answer;

providing means for preventing responding or the evaluation of answers following the allowed time period;

preventing responding or the evaluation of answers following the allowed time period;

providing communication means connecting the evaluation facility with participants'"'"' locations and the playback facility;

informing television viewers of an acceptable answer;

recognizing and accepting a successful participant'"'"'s acceptable answer;

identifying an individual participant who has entered an acceptable answer and has won a reward; and

crediting the account of a participant with the amount of said financial reward.

37. A method for conducting a game for television viewers having a monetary account at a financial facility or service provider, the method comprising:

providing a recording having recorded thereon recorded signals comprising question signals conveying to television viewers at least one question, said question requiring an answer given within an allowed time period made known to participants, and said recorded signals comprising answer signals conveying an acceptable answer to said question, said answer signals being conveyed once as instructional signals to an evaluation facility and once essentially following said time period, to inform television viewers of an acceptable answer, an acceptable answer being financially rewarded;

providing a central playback facility for playing back the signals of said recording;

providing means for communicating said instructional signals to a central evaluation facility;

providing means for transmitting signals conveying a played-back question to television viewers;

television viewers receiving a question;

formulating a financial reward for a participant'"'"'s acceptable answer;

announcing a reward for an acceptable answer;

providing means operable by individual participating television viewers for responding to said question, thereby authorizing a charge to participant'"'"'s account;

a participant responding and incurring a charge;

providing a central evaluation facility having means for receiving said instructional signals and means programmable by said instructional signals for recognizing and accepting participants'"'"' acceptable answers, there being means for automatically identifying individual participants who have entered an acceptable answer;

providing means for preventing the entering or evaluation of answers following the allowed time period;

preventing the entering or evaluation of answers following the allowed time period;

providing communication means connecting the evaluation facility with participants'"'"' locations and the playback facility;

informing participating television viewers of an acceptable answer;

recognizing and accepting participants'"'"' acceptable answer;

identifying individual participants who have entered an acceptable answer and have won a financial reward; and

crediting said account of said participants with the amount of said award.

38. A method for conducting a prize event for audience members of broadcast stations, the method including the formulation of a task such as a question and an acceptable response such as an answer, the method comprising the steps of:

formulating at a central location at least one task and an accompanying acceptable response, an acceptable response carrying with it a monetary prize;

a station broadcasting its program including at least one task;

an audience member receiving said program;

an audience member responding to said task by entering a response in a telephone connected to caller identification means, said member having a monetary account with an account-administering facility;

providing a central evaluation facility having means for storing entered responses and/or acceptable responses, said facility having means for comparing a member'"'"'s entered response with an acceptable response to determine a winning response;

telephonically communicating an entered response to said evaluation facility;

transmitting an acceptable response to said task from a central location to said evaluation facility;

storing an acceptable response to a task and/or a member'"'"'s entered response in said evaluation facility;

comparing by said evaluation facility an entered response to an acceptable response to determine an acceptable entered response;

identifying a winning member having entered an acceptable response through caller identification means; and

electronically crediting the account of a winning member with the amount of said monetary prize at the facility administering said player'"'"'s account.

39. A system for conducting a game played by players at first remote stations and for informing said players of an acceptable response at second remote stations, said system comprising:

means for transmitting first signals comprising an open-language task portion and accompanying response criteria portion modulated on a sub-carrier and defining an acceptable response;

means at players'"'"' first remote stations for receiving task portions of said first signals and for entering a response to a task;

central facilities having means for receiving players'"'"' entered responses and means for receiving and demodulating the response criteria portion of said first signals transmitted on a sub-carrier, said central facilities comprising means for comparing said entered responses to response criteria to determine players'"'"' acceptable responses, said central facilities further comprising means for transmitting second signals conveying an acceptable response;

means for communicating a player'"'"'s entered response signals to said central facilities;

means at players'"'"' second remote stations for informing a player of an acceptable response, said informing means being operable by said second signals; and

means for communicating said second signals from said central facilities to a player'"'"'s second remote station to operate said informing means.

40. A system for conducting a game played by players at a temporary site and for rewarding a successful player with a record generated at the successful player'"'"'s permanent location, the system comprising:

means for storing and playing back a record of task signals and accompanying response criteria signals, the response criteria defining at least one acceptable response to said task and assigning a value to an acceptable response;

means for transmitting task signals and response criteria signals;

means at players'"'"' temporary sites for receiving task signals;

means at players'"'"' temporary sites for entering information including a response to a task;

means for communicating information entered by a player at a temporary site to a central location, said communicating including an identification of said player;

means at said central location for storing said information;

evaluation means operatively connected to said storing means, including means for receiving a player'"'"'s entered response signals and for receiving response criteria signals, said evaluation means including means for comparing a player'"'"'s entered response to an acceptable response to determine a successful response, said evaluation means further including means for assigning a reward value to a successful response;

means at said evaluation means for generating informational signals transmitted to signal receiving means at an individual identified player'"'"'s permanent location and conveying a value assigned to a successful player'"'"'s response;

means for transmitting said informational signals; and

record generating means at players'"'"' permanent locations, said generating means being responsive to said informational signals to generate a record indicating a reward value assigned to a successful player'"'"'s response.

41. A system for conducting a game played by players at temporary sites and for rewarding a successful player and for providing a record generated at the player'"'"'s permanent location, the system comprising:

means at a central location for transmitting task signals and accompanying response criteria signals, the response criteria defining at least one acceptable response to said task and conveying reward values assigned to responses by successful players;

signal receiving means at players'"'"' temporary sites for receiving task signals, a player having a permanent location with a signal receiving means;

means at players'"'"' temporary sites for entering information, including a response to a task and data identifying the signal receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location;

a central evaluation facility, and means for communicating information entered by a player at a temporary site to said central evaluation facility;

wherein said central evaluation facility includes means for receiving a player'"'"'s entered response signals and for receiving response criteria signals, said facility including means for comparing a player'"'"'s entered response to response criteria to determine a player'"'"'s acceptable entered response, said evaluation facility further including means for assigning a reward value to a player'"'"'s acceptable response in accordance with said response criteria and means for generating instructional signals conveying said assigned reward values;

means for communicating instructional signals conveying a reward value assigned to an acceptable response to identified receiving means at a successful player'"'"'s permanent location; and

record generating means coupled to said receiving mean at players'"'"' permanent locations, said generating means being responsive to said instructional signals to generate a record indicating a reward value assigned to said successful player'"'"'s response.

42. A system for comparing a prediction made by a player at a temporary site with respect to the outcome of an event relative to an actual outcome of the event, and for generating at a player'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating a value assigned to said player'"'"'s prediction, the system comprising:

means for presenting to players at their temporary sites a scenario relative to an event, the outcome of the scenario being unknown to players at the time of said presentation;

signal receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location;

means at a player'"'"'s temporary site for entering predictive data relative to the outcome of said event and for entering information identifying the signal receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location;

means for communicating said predictive data and said identifying information from a player'"'"'s temporary site to a central location;

means at a central location for receiving said predictive data and said information;

means at a central location for comparing a player'"'"'s prediction to the actual outcome of an event and for assigning a value to said player'"'"'s prediction;

means at players'"'"' permanent locations responsive to instructional signals for generating a record indicating value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction; and

means for communicating instructional signals conveying the value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction from said comparing means to said identified receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location, said receiving means at said permanent location being operatively connected to said record generating means.

43. A system for comparing a prediction made by a player at a temporary site with respect to a predicted outcome of an event relative to an actual outcome of the event, and for generating at a player'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating a value assigned to said player'"'"'s prediction, there being a person operating the system, the system comprising:

means for presenting to players at their temporary sites information relative to an event, the outcome of the scenario being unknown to players at the time of said presentation;

means at a player'"'"'s temporary site for entering predictive data relative to the outcome of said event, and for entering information identifying the signal receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location;

means for communicating to a central location said predictive data relative to the outcome of said event and data identifying said receiving means;

means at a central location for receiving said data;

means at a central location for comparing a player'"'"'s prediction to the outcome of an event and for assigning a value to said player'"'"'s prediction, said comparing means being programmable by an operator of the system;

means at players'"'"' permanent locations controllable by instructional signals for generating a record indicating a value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction; and

means for communicating instructional signals conveying the value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction from said comparing means to said identified receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location, said receiving means at said permanent location being operatively connected to said record generating means.

44. A system for comparing a prediction made by a player at a temporary site with respect to a predicted outcome of an event relative to an actual outcome of the event, and for generating at a player'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating a value assigned to said player'"'"'s prediction, there being a person operating the system, the system comprising:

means for presenting to players at their temporary sites a scenario relative to an event, the outcome of the scenario being unknown to players at the time of a presentation;

signal receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location;

means at a player'"'"'s temporary site for entering predictive data relative to the outcome of said event and for entering information identifying the signal receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location;

means for communicating said predictive data and said identity information from a player'"'"'s temporary site to a central location;

means at a central location for receiving said predictive data and said identity information;

means at a central location for comparing a player'"'"'s prediction to the actual outcome of an event and for assigning a value to said player'"'"'s prediction, said comparing means being programmable by an operator of the system;

means at players'"'"' permanent locations responsive to instructional signals for generating a record indicating a value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction; and

means for communicating instructional signals conveying the value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction from said comparing means to said identified receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location, said receiving means at said permanent location being operatively connected to said record generating means.

45. A method for conducting a game in which players at first remote stations provide a response to a task, the method providing for informing said players of an acceptable response at second remote stations, said method comprising:

transmitting from a central location first signals comprising a task portion and an accompanying response criteria portion defining an acceptable response;

providing means at players'"'"' first remote stations for receiving task portions of said first signals and for entering a response to a task;

receiving task portions of said first signals at players'"'"' first remote stations;

a player entering a response to a task at said first remote station;

providing central facilities for receiving a player'"'"'s entered response and for receiving the response criteria portion of said first signals, said central facilities comprising means for comparing said entered response to the response criteria to determine players'"'"' acceptable responses, said central facilities further comprising means for transmitting second instructional signals conveying an acceptable response;

providing means for communicating a player'"'"'s entered response signals to said central facilities;

receiving a response at said central facilities;

receiving response criteria at said central facilities;

comparing a response to the response criteria to determine an acceptable response;

transmitting said second signals from said central facility to players'"'"' second remote stations;

providing means at players'"'"' second remote stations for informing a player of an entry of an acceptable response, said informing means being operable by said second signals;

providing means for communicating said second signals from said central facilities to a player'"'"'s second remote station to operate said informing means;

receiving said second signals at a player'"'"'s second remote station; and

informing a player who has entered an acceptable response.

46. A method for conducting a game played by players at temporary sites and for rewarding a winning player with a record having value generated at the player'"'"'s permanent location, the method comprising the steps of:

a host formulating a task, an acceptable response to said task, and a reward @value assigned to an acceptable response;

providing means for transmitting from a central location task signals, and accompanying response criteria signals providing response criteria, the response criteria defining an acceptable response to a task and conveying a reward value assigned to a response;

transmitting said task signals and said response criteria signals;

providing means at players'"'"' temporary sites for receiving task signals, a player having a permanent location;

receiving task signals at players'"'"' temporary sites;

providing means at players'"'"' temporary sites for entering information, including a response to a task, and providing means for receiving data identifying signals at individual players'"'"' permanent locations;

a player at a temporary site entering said information;

providing means for communicating information entered by a player at a temporary site to a central location;

communicating said entered information signals to a central location;

providing a central evaluation facility including means for receiving a player'"'"'s entered response signals and for receiving response criteria signals, said facility including means for comparing a player'"'"'s entered response to an acceptable response to determine a player'"'"'s acceptable entered response and for assigning a reward value to a response in accordance with said response criteria;

receiving response criteria signals at said evaluation facility;

determining a player'"'"'s acceptable entered response;

assigning a reward value to said player'"'"'s entered response;

providing means for generating instructional signals conveying an assigned reward value;

providing means for communicating the instructional signals conveying a reward value assigned to an acceptable response to identified receiving means at an individual player'"'"'s permanent location;

providing record generating means coupled to said receiving means at a player'"'"'s permanent location, said generating means being responsive to said instructional signals to generate a record indicating a reward value assigned to said player'"'"'s response;

communicating instructional signals conveying a reward value to an identified receiving means; and

generating at a player'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating a reward value.

47. A method for conducting a game for players at temporary sites, including mobile sites, such as automobiles, remote from players'"'"' normally permanent locations, such as their homes, each of said temporary sites and each of said permanent locations having signal receiving means, the method comprising the steps of:

formulating at least one task, such as a question, and accompanying response criteria defining an acceptable response and a value assigned thereto;

recording a task for storing and playback from a central location;

recording response criteria for storing and playback from a central location;

providing a playback facility for playback of a task and playback of response criteria;

providing a central response evaluation facility having means for comparing a player'"'"'s response to a task with response criteria to determine whether a player'"'"'s response is an acceptable response, said evaluation facility including means for assigning a value to an acceptable response based on the response criteria;

providing means, including communication means operable by a player for activating said playback facility;

a player activating said playback facility;

providing means at a player'"'"'s temporary site for receiving a task and for visually and/or audibly presenting said task;

communicating a task from said playback facility to a player'"'"'s temporary site;

receiving and presenting said task at a player'"'"'s temporary site;

providing means at a player'"'"'s temporary site for entering information, and means for communicating a player'"'"'s entered information to a central location;

a player entering on said entering means information including a response to a task and an identification of signal receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location;

communicating said player'"'"'s entered information to said evaluation facility;

at said evaluation facility determining a player'"'"'s acceptable response and assigning a value thereto;

providing communication means for transmitting informational signals from said evaluation facility to players'"'"' permanent locations;

transmitting from said evaluation facility informational signals to receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location, said informational signals conveying a value assigned to a player'"'"'s acceptable response;

providing hard copy generating means at players'"'"' permanent locations for generating a record indicating the value of a player'"'"'s response, said generating means being coupled to signal receiving means, said generating means being responsive to said informational signals; and

generating at a player'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating the value of said player'"'"'s response.

48. A method for eliciting a response to a test from players at first stations, for grading a player'"'"'s response and for informing a player of grading results at a second station of said player, said method comprising:

transmitting from a central location first signals comprising a test portion and an accompanying response criteria portion defining an acceptable response in machine-readable language and response grading instructions;

providing means at players'"'"' first stations for receiving test portions of said first signals and for entering a response to a task;

receiving test portions of said first signals at players'"'"' first stations;

a player entering a response to a test at said first station;

providing central facilities for receiving a player'"'"'s entered response, having means for receiving and reading the response criteria portion of said first signals, said central facilities comprising means for evaluating an entered response in accordance with the response criteria to determine a player'"'"'s acceptable response and to grade an acceptable response, said central facilities further comprising means for generating instructional second signals conveying an acceptable response, and a player'"'"'s grade;

providing means for communicating a player'"'"'s entered response signals to said central facilities, said communication means identifying said player;

receiving an entered response at said central facilities;

receiving response criteria signals at said central facilities;

determining a player'"'"'s acceptable response and its grade at said central facilities;

providing means for transmitting informational signals conveying an acceptable response and a player'"'"'s grade in open language from said central facilities to players'"'"' second stations;

providing means at players'"'"' second stations for announcing an acceptable response and said player'"'"'s grade, said announcing means being responsive to said informational signals;

transmitting said informational signals from said central facilities to a player'"'"'s second station to operate said announcing means;

receiving informational signals at a player'"'"'s second station; and

announcing an acceptable response and said grade at said player'"'"'s second station.

49. A method for comparing a prediction made by a player at a temporary site with respect to the outcome of an event relative to the actual outcome of a predicted event, and for generating at the player'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating a value assigned to said player'"'"'s prediction, the method comprising the steps of:

presenting to players at their temporary sites a scenario relative to an event, the outcome of which is not known to players at the time of said presentation, a player having a permanent location;

providing means at a player'"'"'s temporary site for entering a predictive data relative to the outcome of said event; and

means for receiving an information identifying signal at said player'"'"'s permanent location;

a player entering said predictive data and said information;

providing means for communicating said predictive data and said information to a central location;

providing means at a central location for receiving said predictive data and said information;

communicating said predictive data and said information to a central location;

at a central location providing means programmable by the operator of the system for comparing a player'"'"'s prediction to the actual outcome of an event and for assigning a value to said player'"'"'s prediction;

upon occurrence of said event, comparing said player'"'"'s prediction to the actual outcome of said event and assigning a value to said player'"'"'s prediction;

providing means at players'"'"' permanent locations controllable by instructional signals for generating a record indicating the value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction;

providing means for communicating instructional signals conveying the value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction from said comparing means to identified receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location, said receiving means being operatively connected to said record generating means;

communicating said assigned value to said record generating means through said receiving means; and

generating a record at a player'"'"'s permanent location, said record indicating the value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction.

50. A method for comparing a prediction made by a player at a temporary site with respect to the outcome of an event relative to the actual outcome of a predicted event, and for generating at a permanent location of the player a record indicating a value assigned to said player'"'"'s prediction, the method comprising the steps of:

presenting to players at their temporary sites a scenario relative to an event, the outcome of which is not known to players at the time of said presentation, a player having a permanent location;

providing means at a player'"'"'s temporary site for entering predictive data relative to the outcome of said event and means for receiving an information identifying signal at said player'"'"'s permanent location;

a player entering said predictive data and said information;

providing means for communicating said predictive data and said information to a central location;

providing means at a central location for receiving said predictive data and said information;

storing said predictive data and said information at said central location;

providing at a central location means for comparing a player'"'"'s prediction to the actual outcome of an event and for assigning a value to said player'"'"'s prediction;

upon occurrence of said event, comparing said player'"'"'s prediction to the actual outcome of said event and assigning a value to said player'"'"'s prediction;

providing means at a player'"'"'s permanent location responsive to instructional signals for generating a record indicating the value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction;

providing means for receiving instructional signals at a player'"'"'s permanent location;

providing means for transmitting instructional signals conveying the value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction from said comparing means to said receiving means at said player'"'"'s permanent location, said receiving means being operatively connected to said record generating means;

transmitting instructional signals conveying said assigned value to said record generating means through said receiving means; and

generating a record at a player'"'"'s permanent location, said record indicating the value assigned to a player'"'"'s prediction.

51. A system for conducting a task for students at temporary sites and for dispensing to students a record generated at students'"'"' permanent locations, said record indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to a task, said system comprising:

means for transmitting a task from a central location, a task having an accompanying response;

means for transmitting accompanying response grading information from a central location;

means at students'"'"' temporary sites for receiving a task;

means at students'"'"' temporary sites for entering information including a response to a task and data identifying an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

a central evaluation facility, and means for communicating information entered by a student at a temporary site to a central evaluation facility, said central evaluation facility including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered response and for receiving response grading information, said evaluation facility including means for comparing a student'"'"'s entered response to response grading information and means for determining a grade assigned to said response;

means for communicating a grade assigned to a response to a student'"'"'s permanent location; and

a record generating facility at students'"'"' permanent locations having means connected to said communication means for receiving said grade and means for generating and dispensing a hard copy record indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response.

52. A system for conducting a response-eliciting test for students located at student stations, and for informing students of response evaluation results, said system comprising:

means for transmitting signals conveying a task from a central location to students'"'"' individual stations;

means for transmitting from a central location signals conveying information for evaluating a response to said task;

means at students'"'"' individual stations for receiving a task signal;

means at students'"'"' individual stations for presenting said task;

means at students'"'"' individual stations for entering information including a response to a task and an identification of said responding student;

an evaluation facility, and means for communicating said information entered by a student to an evaluation facility, and an evaluation facility including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered information and for receiving evaluation information, said evaluation facility including means for evaluating a student'"'"'s entered response in accordance with evaluation information and for generating instructional signals conveying evaluation results;

means for communicating said instructional signals to an identified student'"'"'s station; and

record generating means at students'"'"' stations responsive to said instructional signals, said generating means being capable of generating a visual and/or audio record indicating results of a student'"'"'s response evaluation.

53. A system for conducting a test for students at students'"'"' sites and for dispensing to students a record generated at a central site, said record indicating results of an evaluation of a student'"'"'s response to a test, said system comprising:

means for transmitting test signals and for transmitting evaluation signals for the evaluation of a response to a test;

means at a student'"'"'s site for receiving a test and for entering information including a response to the test and personal identification;

a central evaluation facility, and means for communicating signals conveying information entered by a student to a central evaluation facility, said central evaluation facility including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered response and personal identification signals and for receiving said evaluation signals, said facility including means for evaluating a student'"'"'s entered response in accordance with said evaluation signals and including means for generating instructional signals conveying the results of an identified student'"'"'s response evaluation;

means for communicating said instructional signals to a central location; and

record generating means at a central location, having means for receiving said instructional signals and means responsive to said instructional signals for generating a record of the evaluation results of an identified student'"'"'s response.

54. A method for conducting a task for students at temporary sites and for informing students of response evaluation results including a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to a task, the method comprising the steps of:

formulating a task and response evaluation information, including grades assigned to responses;

transmitting task signals and response evaluation information signals from a central location;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for receiving task signals;

receiving task signals at students'"'"' temporary sites, there being signal receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for responding by entering data including a response to a task and data identifying the signal receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location, the responding means producing response signals,

a student at a temporary site entering said data;

providing a central evaluation facility and means for two-way signal communication between a student'"'"'s temporary site and the central evaluation facility;

communicating said information from a student'"'"'s temporary site to said central evaluation facility, said central evaluation facility including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered response signals and for receiving response evaluation signals, said facility including means for assigning a grade to a response in accordance with results of said response evaluation;

evaluating a student'"'"'s entered response and assigning a grade to a student'"'"'s response;

providing means for communicating signals conveying response evaluation results including a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to identified receiving means at said student'"'"'s permanent location and students'"'"' temporary sites;

communicating signals conveying said response evaluation results including an assigned grade to a student'"'"'s permanent location;

receiving said evaluation result signals at a student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing record generating means coupled to said receiving means at students'"'"' permanent locations, said generating means being responsive to said evaluation result signals to generate a record indicating evaluation results including a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response;

generating at a student'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating an evaluation result;

transmitting evaluation results to students at their temporary sites; and

informing students at their temporary sites of evaluation results by audio and/or video means.

55. A method for conducting a response-eliciting task for students at temporary sites and for generating a record indicating response results at students'"'"' permanent location, the method comprising the steps of:

formulating, by a conductor, a response-eliciting task and accompanying response data;

transmitting a task from a central location;

transmitting response data from a central location;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for receiving a task;

receiving a task at students'"'"' temporary sites, there being receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for entering information including a response to said task and data identifying the receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

a student at a temporary site entering said information;

providing a central facility, and means for communicating said information to the central facility;

communicating said information to said central facility, said central facility including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered information and for receiving said response data, said facility including means for comparing a student'"'"'s entered response to accompanying response data formulated by said conductor to determine a student'"'"'s response results;

determining a student'"'"'s response results;

providing means for communicating instructional signals conveying said response results to said identified receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

communicating said response results to receiving means at a student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing record generating means coupled to said receiving means at students'"'"' permanent locations, said generating means being responsive to said instructional signals and being capable of generating a record indicating response results of a student'"'"'s response; and

generating at a student'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating said response results.

56. A method for conducting a task for students at temporary sites and for generating a record at students'"'"' permanent locations indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to a task, the method comprising the steps of:

formulating a task by the conductor of a test, there being at least one acceptable response to said task and grades assigned to respective acceptable responses;

transmitting task signals from a central location;

transmitting from a central location response criteria signals accompanying a task, said response criteria defining at least one acceptable response to a task and including grading signals assigning a plurality of grades to respective acceptable responses;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for receiving task signals;

receiving task signals at students'"'"' temporary sites, there being signal receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for entering information including a response to a task and data identifying the signal receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

a student at a temporary site entering said information;

providing means for communicating information signals having a student'"'"'s entered information to a central location;

communicating said information signals to a central location;

providing a central evaluation facility including means for receiving students'"'"' entered information and means for receiving response criteria signals and grading signals;

said evaluation facility including means for comparing students'"'"' entered responses to acceptable responses to determine acceptable entered responses and means for assigning one of a plurality of grades to students'"'"' respective acceptable entered response;

evaluating a student'"'"'s response, including assigning a grade to a student'"'"'s acceptable response;

providing means for communicating instructional signals conveying a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s acceptable response to identified receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

communicating instructional signals to a student'"'"'s permanent location;

receiving instructional signals at a student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing record generating means coupled to said receiving means at a student'"'"'s permanent location and responsive to said instructional signals for generating a record indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response; and

generating at a student'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating said grade.

118. The method according to any one of claims 56, 59, or 63 in which a response carries a reward continuum ranging upward from zero and in which a host formulates a reward value assigned to a response, there being a step of transmitting said value to a player'"'"'s permanent location.

57. A method for conducting a test for students at individual students'"'"' sites and for generating a record at a central location, said record indicating results of evaluating students'"'"' individual responses to a task, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting task signals conveying a task and accompanying response criteria signals conveying response criteria, the response criteria conveying a response evaluation method;

providing means at students'"'"' sites for receiving task signals;

receiving task signals at students'"'"' sites;

providing means at students'"'"' sites for entering information including a response to a task and data identifying an individual student;

a student entering information at a student'"'"'s site;

providing a central evaluation facility, and means for communicating information entered by a student to the central evaluation facility;

communicating a student'"'"'s entered information signals to said evaluation facility, said central evaluation facility including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered information signals and for receiving signals conveying said response evaluation method, said evaluation facility having means for comparing an individual student'"'"'s response to a reference element and logic means for evaluating an individual student'"'"'s response in accordance with said evaluation method;

receiving signals conveying said response evaluation method at said evaluation facility;

evaluating an individual student'"'"'s response;

providing means for communicating signals conveying an individual student'"'"'s response evaluation results to a central data storage;

communicating said evaluation result signals to said central data storage;

providing record generating means at a central facility, said generating means being responsive to said evaluation result signals to generate a record indicating response evaluation results of individual students;

communicating signals conveying response evaluation results to said record generating means; and

generating an individual student'"'"'s record indicating said response evaluation results.

58. A method for conducting a task for students at temporary sites and for generating a record at students'"'"' permanent locations indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to a task, the method comprising the steps of:

the conductor of a test formulating a task and grades assigned to responses to said task;

transmitting task signals conveying a task from a central location;

transmitting from a central location grading signals assigning grades to responses;

providing means for receiving task signals at students'"'"' temporary sites;

receiving a task signal at students'"'"' temporary sites, there being signal receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for entering information including a response to a task, for proving a response signal, and data identifying the signal receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

a student at a temporary site entering said information;

providing means for communicating said information to data storage means;

communicating said information to said data storage means;

providing a central evaluation facility coupled to said data storage means including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered response signals and means for receiving grading signals, said facility including means for assigning a grade to a student'"'"'s response in accordance with said grading signals;

assigning a grade to a student'"'"'s response;

providing means for communicating instructional signals conveying a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to identified receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

communicating instructional signals to a student'"'"'s permanent location;

receiving instructional signals at a student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing record generating means coupled to said receiving means at students'"'"' permanent locations, said generating means being responsive to said instructional signals to generate a record indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response; and

generating at a student'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating said grade.

59. A method for conducting a task for students at temporary sites and for dispensing to students a record generated at students'"'"' permanent location indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to a task, the method comprising the steps of:

formulating a task, an acceptable response to said task, and a grade assigned to a response;

transmitting task signals conveying a task, from a central location;

transmitting instructional response criteria signals accompanying a task from a central location, said response criteria defining an acceptable response to a task and assigning a grade to a response;

providing means for receiving task signals at students'"'"' temporary sites;

a student receiving a task signal at said student'"'"'s temporary site;

providing means at a student'"'"'s temporary site for entering a response to a task;

providing identifiable receiving means at said student'"'"'s permanent location;

a student at a temporary site entering a response and information identifying receiving means at said student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing means for communicating said response and information to a central location;

communicating said response and information to a central location;

providing a central evaluation facility having means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered response and information, said evaluation facility having means for receiving instructional signals defining an acceptable response and assigning a grade to a response, said evaluation facility including means for comparing a student'"'"'s entered response to an acceptable response and for assigning a grade to a student'"'"'s response in accordance with said instructional signals;

assigning a grade to a student'"'"'s response in accordance with said instructional signals;

providing means for communicating instructional signals conveying a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to identified receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

communicating instructional signals to a student'"'"'s permanent location;

receiving instructional signals at a student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing record generating means coupled to said receiving means at students'"'"' permanent locations, said generating means being responsive to said instructional signals to generate a record indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response; and

generating at a student'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating said grade.

117. The method according to any one of claims 59, 60, or 64 in which there is a step of providing response criteria assigning a reward value wherein response criteria defining an acceptable response and response criteria assigning a reward value are determinable independently of each other.

119. The system according to claims 59, 60 or 64 wherein the task signals and the response criteria signals are transmitted by separate transmitters.

60. A system for eliciting and tabulating polling or survey responses comprising:

means for transmitting electronic signals conveying a message formulated by a system operator eliciting responses including expressions of opinion by members of a remote audience to be polled, said responses to be tabulated;

means for transmitting electronic signals conveying response criteria formulated by a system operator determining the admissibility of responses for tabulation purposes;

means for receiving and storing response criteria;

communicating means for entering a response by individual members of said audience;

means for determining by a system operator admissible responses meeting said formulated criteria and for excluding from tabulation responses not meeting said criteria;

means for storing formulated guidelines governing the grouping of admissible responses;

means for grouping admissible responses in accordance with said formulated guidelines;

means for storing formulated instructions governing the tabulating of grouped responses;

means for tabulating grouped responses in accordance with said formulated instructions;

means for identifying members having entered grouped responses, such as through telephonic caller identification means; and

means for making the results of said grouped tabulation available to a system operator.

61. A system for eliciting and encouraging polling responses, comprising:

means for transmitting electronic signals conveying a message intended to elicit responses by members of a remote audience to be polled;

signal receiving means at the locations of said audience members;

means at said members'"'"' locations for entering responses to said message;

a central response data storage facility;

communication means for electronically transmitting entered response data from members'"'"' locations to said data storage facility;

means for identifying responding members;

means at a central location for processing the entered responses of responding members;

means for communicating responding members'"'"' identifications to said data storage facility; and

means for entering responding members in a prize event to determine a winning responding member.

62. A system for inducing members of an audience to participate in a survey or poll comprising:

means for transmitting electronic signals eliciting responses to questions, the response being made by members of an audience at remote locations;

signal receiving means at the locations of said audience members;

means for presenting said questions to said members;

means at said members'"'"' locations for entering responses to said questions;

a central response data storage facility;

means for electronically communicating response data from members'"'"' locations to said data storage facility for use in said survey;

means at a central location for identifying responding members through said communicating means;

means at a central location for entering identified responding members in a prize event;

means for conducting a prize event;

means for informing responding members of the audience who are prize event winners;

evaluation means for comparing each participant'"'"'s response to an accompanying acceptable response to determine a winning response, including means for identifying individual ones of said stations or winning participants through said communications means; and

means at a central location for generating a record of winning responses.

63. A method for eliciting and tabulating polling or survey responses comprising the steps of:

transmitting electronic signals eliciting expressions of opinion, such as responses to questions by members of a universe of respondents to be polled, said responses to be grouped prior to tabulating;

formulating response criteria determining the admissibility of responses for tabulating purposes;

providing means for entering a response to individual members of said audience;

a member entering a response;

providing programmable means for determining admissible responses meeting said formulated criteria;

determining admissible responses, responses not meeting said criteria being excluded from tabulation;

formulating instructions governing the tabulating of admitted responses received from said universe of respondents, said instructions including criteria for the grouping of said responses, such as political, geographic, demographic or psychographic criteria;

tabulating admitted responses in accordance with said tabulating instructions;

providing means for identifying members having entered an admitted response; and

storing the results of said tabulating.

120. The method according to claim 63 wherein a temporary site is selected from the group including automobiles, airplanes and other private and public conveyances, boats, ships, beaches, recreational sites, the countryside, casinos, clubs, social halls, church annexes, auditoriums, hotels, hostelries and sites with visitors accommodations.

64. A method for eliciting and tabulating polling or survey responses comprising the steps of:

formulating polling objectives governing a tabulation of validated responses which have been grouped prior to tabulation in accordance with predetermined determinatives;

formulating response criteria governing the admissibility of responses to tabulation;

selecting determinatives governing the grouping of responses;

formulating instructions governing the tabulation of admitted responses;

formulating a message to elicit responses to questions by members of an audience to be polled in accordance with said objectives;

transmitting signals conveying said message from a central location to said audience members;

receiving said message at members'"'"' locations;

providing to individual members of said audience means for entering and communicating a response to a central location;

a member entering a response;

providing evaluation means at a central location to determine the admissibility of responses to tabulations in accordance with response criteria;

communicating entered responses to said evaluation means;

validating the admissibility of responses to tabulation at said evaluation means, responses not so validated being excluded from tabulation;

providing means for grouping validated responses;

communicating validated responses to said grouping means;

grouping validated responses in accordance with grouping determinatives;

providing means for tabulating grouped responses in accordance with tabulating instructions;

communicating grouped responses to said tabulating means; and

tabulating grouped responses in accordance with tabulating instructions.

65. A method for tabulating and storing elicited polling or survey responses comprising the steps of:

formulating a message to elicit responses to questions by members of an audience to be polled, said responses to be tabulated;

transmitting signals conveying said message from a central location;

receiving said message at said members'"'"' locations;

providing to members of said audience telephonic means for entering a response;

a member entering a response;

formulating response criteria governing the admissibility of responses to tabulation;

providing means for determining the admissibility of responses to tabulation;

determining the admissibility of entered responses, responses not so validated being excluded from tabulation;

formulating instructions governing the tabulation of admitted responses;

providing means for tabulating admitted responses in accordance with tabulating instructions;

communicating admitted responses to said tabulating facility;

providing telephonic identification means for identifying members having entered an admitted response;

providing means for storing identifications and responses of individual members;

tabulating admitted responses in accordance with tabulating instructions; and

storing identified members tabulated responses.

66. A system for eliciting, grouping and tabulating polling or survey responses by a universe of respondents comprising:

means for formulating and storing electronic data defining polling objectives;

means for formulating and storing instructional data governing the grouping of said universe of respondents in discrete groups in accordance with polling objectives;

means for transmitting signals conveying a message eliciting responses including expressions of opinion by members of a remote audience universe to be polled;

signal receiving means at the locations of the members of said universe;

means for formulating and storing criteria determining the admissibility of responses from members of said universe for tabulation purposes, including means for excluding from tabulation responses not meeting said criteria;

communication means including means for entering a response by individual members of said audience universe and for communicating responses to at least one central location;

means for formulating and storing guidelines governing the grouping of admitted responses from members of said universe;

means for grouping admitted responses at at least one central location in accordance with said formulated grouping guidelines;

means for formulating and storing instructions governing the tabulating of grouped responses in accordance with polling objectives;

means for tabulating grouped responses at at least one central location in accordance with said tabulating instructions;

means for identifying members having entered responses included in an individual group; and

means for making tabulation results available to identified members.

67. A method for eliciting, tabulating and storing polling or survey responses of a poll for future use, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a universe of respondents to be polled;

determining characteristics to govern discrete groupings of respondents in said universe;

formulating objectives to be achieved by polling respondents in said discrete groupings;

formulating messages eliciting responses, including expressions of opinion by respondents forming discrete groupings to be polled, said messages being designed to achieve specific objectives formulated relative to said poll;

transmitting from a central location signals conveying said messages to respondents in said universe;

formulating criteria determining the admissibility of responses for tabulation purposes;

respondents receiving said messages;

providing means to individual respondents for entering a response;

a respondent entering a response;

providing programmable means for determining admissible responses meeting said formulated criteria;

determining admissible responses, responses not meeting said criteria being excluded from tabulation;

grouping admitted responses by respondents in said universe in accordance with said characteristics;

formulating instructions governing the tabulating of group responses;

providing programmable means for tabulating group responses in accordance with said tabulating instructions;

tabulating group responses in accordance with said instructions;

providing means for storing tabulated responses; and

storing tabulated responses for future use.

68. A system for conducting a response-eliciting test for students located at student stations, and for informing students of response evaluation results, said system comprising:

means for transmitting signals conveying a task from a central location to students'"'"' individual stations;

means for transmitting from a central location signals conveying information for evaluating a response to said task;

means at students'"'"' individual stations for receiving a task signal;

means at students'"'"' individual stations for presenting said task;

means at students'"'"' individual stations for entering information including a response to a task and an identification of said responding student;

an evaluation facility, and means for communicating said information entered by a student to an evaluation facility, and an evaluation facility including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered information and for receiving evaluation information, said evaluation facility including means for evaluating a student'"'"'s entered response in accordance with evaluation information and for generating instructional signals conveying evaluation results;

means for communicating said instructional signals to an identified student'"'"'s station; and

record generating means at students'"'"' stations responsive to said instructional signals, said generating means being capable of generating a visual and/or audio record indicating results of a student'"'"'s response evaluation.

69. A system for conducting a test for students at students'"'"' sites and for dispensing to students a record generated at a central site, said record indicating results of an evaluation of a student'"'"'s response to a test, said system comprising:

means for transmitting test signals and for transmitting evaluation signals for the evaluation of a response to a test;

means at a student'"'"'s site for receiving a test and for entering information including a response to the test and personal identification;

a central evaluation facility, and means for communicating signals conveying information entered by a student to a central evaluation facility, said central evaluation facility including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered response and personal identification signals and for receiving said evaluation signals, said facility including means for evaluating a student'"'"'s entered response in accordance with said evaluation signals and including means for generating instructional signals conveying the results of an identified student'"'"'s response evaluation;

means for communicating said instructional signals to a central location; and

record generating means at a central location, having means for receiving said instructional signals and means responsive to said instructional signals for generating a record of the evaluation results of an identified student'"'"'s response.

70. A method for conducting a task for students at temporary sites and for informing students of response evaluation results including a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to a task, the method comprising the steps of:

formulating a task and response evaluation information, including grades assigned to responses;

transmitting task signals and response evaluation information signals from a central location;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for receiving task signals;

receiving task signals at students temporary sites, there being signal receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for responding by entering data including a response to a task and data identifying the signal receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location, the responding means producing response signals, a student at a temporary site entering said data;

providing a central evaluation facility and means for two-way signal communication between a student'"'"'s temporary site and the central evaluation facility;

communicating said information from a student'"'"'s temporary site to said central evaluation facility, said central evaluation facility including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered response signals and for receiving response evaluation signals, said facility including means for assigning a grade to a response in accordance with results of said response evaluation;

evaluating a student'"'"'s entered response and assigning a grade to a student'"'"'s response;

providing means for communicating signals conveying response evaluation results including a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to identified receiving means at said student'"'"'s permanent location and students'"'"' temporary sites;

communicating signals conveying said response evaluation results including an assigned grade to a student'"'"'s permanent location;

receiving said evaluation result signals at a student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing record generating means coupled to said receiving means at students'"'"' permanent locations, said generating means being responsive to said evaluation result signals to generate a record indicating evaluation results including a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response;

generating at a student'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating an evaluation result;

transmitting evaluation results to students at their temporary sites; and

informing students at their temporary sites of evaluation results by audio and/or video means.

71. A method for conducting a response-eliciting task for students at temporary sites and for generating a record indicating response results at students'"'"' permanent location, the method comprising the steps of:

formulating, by a conductor, a response-eliciting task and accompanying response data;

transmitting a task from a central location;

transmitting response data from a central location;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for receiving a task;

receiving a task at students'"'"' temporary sites, there being receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for entering information including a response to said task and data identifying the receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

a student at a temporary site entering said information;

providing a central facility, and means for communicating said information to the central facility;

communicating said information to said central facility, said central facility including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered information and for receiving said response data, said facility including means for comparing a student'"'"'s entered response to accompanying response data formulated by said conductor to determine a student'"'"'s response results;

determining a student'"'"'s response results;

providing means for communicating instructional signals conveying said response results to said identified receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

communicating said response results to receiving means at a student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing record generating means coupled to said receiving means at students'"'"' permanent locations, said generating means being responsive to said instructional signals and being capable of generating a record indicating response results of a student'"'"'s response; and

generating at a student'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating said response results.

72. A method for conducting a task for students at temporary sites and for generating a record at students'"'"' permanent locations indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to a task, the method comprising the steps of:

formulating a task by the conductor of a test, there being at least one acceptable response to said task and grades assigned to respective acceptable responses;

transmitting task signals from a central location;

transmitting from a central location response criteria signals accompanying a task, said response criteria defining at least one acceptable response to a task and including grading signals assigning a plurality of grades to respective acceptable responses;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for receiving task signals;

receiving task signals at students'"'"' temporary sites, there being signal receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for entering information including a response to a task and data identifying the signal receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

a student at a temporary site entering said information;

providing means for communicating information signals having a student'"'"'s entered information to a central location;

communicating said information signals to a central location;

providing a central evaluation facility including means for receiving students'"'"' entered information and means for receiving response criteria signals and grading signals;

said evaluation facility including means for comparing students'"'"' entered responses to acceptable responses to determine acceptable entered responses and means for assigning one of a plurality of grades to students'"'"' respective acceptable entered response;

evaluating a student'"'"'s response, including assigning a grade to a student'"'"'s acceptable response;

providing means for communicating instructional signals conveying a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s acceptable response to identified receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

communicating instructional signals to a student'"'"'s permanent location;

receiving instructional signals at a student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing record generating means coupled to said receiving means at a student'"'"'s permanent location and responsive to said instructional signals for generating a record indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response; and

generating at a student'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating said grade.

73. A method for conducting a test for students at individual students'"'"' sites and for generating a record at a central location, said record indicating results of evaluating students'"'"' individual responses to a task, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting task signals conveying a task and accompanying response criteria signals conveying response criteria, the response criteria conveying a response evaluation method;

providing means at students'"'"' sites for receiving task signals;

receiving task signals at students'"'"' sites;

providing means at students'"'"' sites for entering information including a response to a task and data identifying an individual student;

a student entering information at a student'"'"'s site;

providing a central evaluation facility, and means for communicating information entered by a student to the central evaluation facility;

communicating a student'"'"'s entered information signals to said evaluation facility, said central evaluation facility including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered information signals and for receiving signals conveying said response evaluation method, said evaluation facility having means for comparing an individual student'"'"'s response to a reference element and logic means for evaluating an individual student'"'"'s response in accordance with said evaluation method;

receiving signals conveying said response evaluation method at said evaluation facility;

evaluating an individual student'"'"'s response;

providing means for communicating signals conveying an individual student'"'"'s response evaluation results to a central data storage;

communicating said evaluation result signals to said central data storage;

providing record generating means at a central facility, said generating means being responsive to said evaluation result signals to generate a record indicating response evaluation results of individual students;

communicating signals conveying response evaluation results to said record generating means; and

generating an individual student'"'"'s record indicating said response evaluation results.

74. A method for conducting a task for students at temporary sites and for generating a record at students'"'"' permanent locations indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to a task, the method comprising the steps of:

the conductor of a test formulating a task and grades assigned to responses to said task;

transmitting task signals conveying a task from a central location;

transmitting from a central location grading signals assigning grades to responses;

providing means for receiving task signals at students'"'"' temporary sites;

receiving a task signal at students'"'"' temporary sites, there being signal receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing means at students'"'"' temporary sites for entering information including a response to a task, for proving a response signal, and data identifying the signal receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

a student at a temporary site entering said information;

providing means for communicating said information to data storage means;

communicating said information to said data storage means;

providing a central evaluation facility coupled to said data storage means including means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered response signals and means for receiving grading signals, said facility including means for assigning a grade to a student'"'"'s response in accordance with said grading signals;

assigning a grade to a student'"'"'s response;

providing means for communicating instructional signals conveying a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to identified receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

communicating instructional signals to a student'"'"'s permanent location;

receiving instructional signals at a student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing record generating means coupled to said receiving means at students'"'"' permanent locations, said generating means being responsive to said instructional signals to generate a record indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response; and

generating at a student'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating said grade.

75. A method for conducting a task for students at temporary sites and for dispensing to students a record generated at students'"'"' permanent location indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to a task, the method comprising the steps of:

formulating a task, an acceptable response to said task, and a grade assigned to a response;

transmitting task signals conveying a task, from a central location;

transmitting instructional response criteria signals accompanying a task from a central location, said response criteria defining an acceptable response to a task and assigning a grade to a response;

providing means for receiving task signals at students'"'"' temporary sites;

a student receiving a task signal at said student'"'"'s temporary site;

providing means at a student'"'"'s temporary site for entering a response to a task;

providing identifiable receiving means at said student'"'"'s permanent location;

a student at a temporary site entering a response and information identifying receiving means at said student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing means for communicating said response and information to a central location;

communicating said response and information to a central location;

providing a central evaluation facility having means for receiving a student'"'"'s entered response and information, said evaluation facility having means for receiving instructional signals defining an acceptable response and assigning a grade to a response, said evaluation facility including means for comparing a student'"'"'s entered response to an acceptable response and for assigning a grade to a student'"'"'s response in accordance with said instructional signals;

assigning a grade to a student'"'"'s response in accordance with said instructional signals;

providing means for communicating instructional signals conveying a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response to identified receiving means at an individual student'"'"'s permanent location;

communicating instructional signals to a student'"'"'s permanent location;

receiving instructional signals at a student'"'"'s permanent location;

providing record generating means coupled to said receiving means at students'"'"' permanent locations, said generating means being responsive to said instructional signals to generate a record indicating a grade assigned to a student'"'"'s response; and

generating at a student'"'"'s permanent location a record indicating said grade.

76. A system for eliciting and tabulating polling or survey responses comprising:

means for transmitting electronic signals conveying a message formulated by a system operator eliciting responses including expressions of opinion by members of a remote audience to be polled, said responses to be tabulated;

means for transmitting electronic signals conveying response criteria, formulated by a system operator determining the admissibility of responses for tabulation purposes;

means for receiving and storing response criteria;

communicating means for entering a response by individual members of said audience;

means for determining by a system operator admissible responses meeting said formulated criteria and for excluding from tabulation responses not meeting said criteria;

means for storing formulated guidelines governing the grouping of admissible responses;

means for grouping admissible responses in accordance with said formulated guidelines;

means for storing formulated instructions governing the tabulating of grouped responses;

means for tabulating grouped responses in accordance with said formulated instructions;

means for identifying members having entered grouped responses, such as through telephonic caller identification means; and

means for making the results of said grouped tabulation available to a system operator.

77. A system for eliciting and encouraging polling responses, comprising:

means for transmitting electronic signals conveying a message intended to elicit responses by members of a remote audience to be polled;

signal receiving means at the locations of said audience members;

means at said members'"'"' locations for entering responses to said message;

a central response data storage facility;

communication means for electronically transmitting entered response data from members'"'"' locations to said data storage facility;

means for identifying responding members;

means at a central location for processing the entered responses of responding members;

means for communicating responding members'"'"' identifications to said data storage facility; and

means for entering responding members in a prize event to determine a winning responding member.

121. A system according to claim 77 wherein said entering means comprises a telephone, said communication means comprises a telephone, said identifying means comprises calling identification means, and said processing means includes tabulating means.

78. A system for inducing members of an audience to participate in a survey or poll comprising:

means for transmitting electronic signals eliciting responses to questions, the response being made by members of an audience at remote locations;

signal receiving means at the locations of said audience members;

means for presenting said questions to said members;

means at said members'"'"' locations for entering responses to said questions;

a central response data storage facility;

means for electronically communicating response data from members'"'"' locations to said data storage facility for use in said survey;

means at a central location for identifying responding members through said communicating means;

means at a central location for entering identified responding members in a prize event;

means for conducting a prize event;

means for informing responding members of the audience who are prize event winners;

evaluation means for comparing each participant'"'"'s response to an accompanying acceptable response to determine a winning response, including means for identifying individual ones of said stations or winning participants through said communications means; and

means at a central location for generating a record of winning responses.

79. A method for eliciting and tabulating polling or survey responses comprising the steps of:

transmitting electronic signals eliciting expressions of opinion, such as responses to questions by members of a universe of respondents to be polled, said responses to be grouped prior to tabulating;

formulating response criteria determining the admissibility of responses for tabulating purposes;

providing means for entering a response to individual members of said audience;

a member entering a response;

providing programmable means for determining admissible responses meeting said formulated criteria;

determining admissible responses, responses not meeting said criteria being excluded from tabulation;

formulating instructions governing the tabulating of admitted responses received from said universe of respondents, said instructions including criteria for the grouping of said responses, such as political, geographic, demographic or psychographic criteria;

tabulating admitted responses in accordance with said tabulating instructions;

providing means for identifying members having entered an admitted response; and

storing the results of said tabulating.

80. A method for eliciting and tabulating polling or survey responses comprising the steps of:

formulating polling objectives governing a tabulation of validated responses which have been grouped prior to tabulation in accordance with predetermined determinatives;

formulating response criteria governing the admissibility of responses to tabulation;

selecting determinatives governing the grouping of responses;

formulating instructions governing the tabulation of admitted responses;

formulating a message to elicit responses to questions by members of an audience to be polled in accordance with said objectives;

transmitting signals conveying said message from a central location to said audience members;

receiving said message at members'"'"' locations;

providing to individual members of said audience means for entering and communicating a response to a central location;

a member entering a response;

providing evaluation means at a central location to determine the admissibility of responses to tabulations in accordance with response criteria;

communicating entered responses to said evaluation means;

validating the admissibility of responses to tabulation at said evaluation means, responses not so validated being excluded from tabulation;

providing means for grouping validated responses;

communicating validated responses to said grouping means;

grouping validated responses in accordance with grouping determinatives;

providing means for tabulating grouped responses in accordance with tabulating instructions;

communicating grouped responses to said tabulating means; and

tabulating grouped responses in accordance with tabulating instructions.

81. A method for tabulating and storing elicited polling or survey responses comprising the steps of:

formulating a message to elicit responses to questions by members of an audience to be polled, said responses to be tabulated;

transmitting signals conveying said message from a central location;

receiving said message at said members'"'"' locations;

providing to members of said audience telephonic means for entering a response;

a member entering a response;

formulating response criteria governing the admissibility of responses to tabulation;

providing means for determining the admissibility of responses to tabulation;

determining the admissibility of entered responses, responses not so validated being excluded from tabulation;

formulating instructions governing the tabulation of admitted responses;

providing means for tabulating admitted responses in accordance with tabulating instructions;

communicating admitted responses to said tabulating facility;

providing telephonic identification means for identifying members having entered an admitted response;

providing means for storing identifications and responses of individual members;

tabulating admitted responses in accordance with tabulating instructions; and

storing identified members tabulated responses.

82. A system for eliciting, grouping and tabulating polling or survey responses by a universe of respondents comprising:

means for formulating and storing electronic data defining polling objectives;

means for formulating and storing instructional data governing the grouping of said universe of respondents in discrete groups in accordance with polling objectives;

means for transmitting signals conveying a message eliciting responses including expressions of opinion by members of a remote audience universe to be polled;

signal receiving means at the locations of the members of said universe;

means for formulating and storing criteria determining the admissibility of responses from members of said universe for tabulation purposes, including means for excluding from tabulation responses not meeting said criteria;

communication means including means for entering a response by individual members of said audience universe and for communicating responses to at least one central location;

means for formulating and storing guidelines governing the grouping of admitted responses from members of said universe;

means for grouping admitted responses at at least one central location in accordance with said formulated grouping guidelines;

means for formulating and storing instructions governing the tabulating of grouped responses in accordance with polling objectives;

means for tabulating grouped responses at at least one central location in accordance with said tabulating instructions;

means for identifying members having entered responses included in an individual group; and

means for making tabulation results available to identified members.

83. A method for eliciting, tabulating and storing polling or survey responses of a poll for future use, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a universe of respondents to be polled;

determining characteristics to govern discrete groupings of respondents in said universe;

formulating objectives to be achieved by polling respondents in said discrete groupings;

formulating messages eliciting responses, including expressions of opinion by respondents forming discrete groupings to be polled, said messages being designed to achieve specific objectives formulated relative to said poll;

transmitting from a central location signals conveying said messages to respondents in said universe;

formulating criteria determining the admissibility of responses for tabulation purposes;

respondents receiving said messages;

providing means to individual respondents for entering a response;

a respondent entering a response;

providing programmable means for determining admissible responses meeting said formulated criteria;

determining admissible responses, responses not meeting said criteria being excluded from tabulation;

grouping admitted responses by respondents in said universe in accordance with said characteristics;

formulating instructions governing the tabulating of group responses;

providing programmable means for tabulating group responses in accordance with said tabulating instructions;

tabulating group responses in accordance with said instructions;

providing means for storing tabulated responses; and

storing tabulated responses for future use.

84. A method for eliciting, tabulating and storing validated polling or survey responses comprising the steps of:

formulating a message to elicit responses to questions by members of an audience to be polled, said responses to be tabulated;

transmitting signals conveying said message from a central location;

receiving said message at said members'"'"' locations;

providing telephonic means for entering a response to members of said audience;

a member entering a response;

formulating response criteria governing the admissibility of responses to tabulation;

providing response evaluation means to determine the admissibility of responses to tabulation;

telephonically communicating entered responses to said evaluation means;

validating the admissibility of responses to tabulation, responses not so validated being excluded from tabulation;

formulating instructions governing the tabulation of admitted responses;

providing means for tabulating admitted responses in accordance with tabulating instructions;

communicating admitted responses to said tabulating means;

providing telephonic identification means for identifying members having entered an admitted response;

providing means for storing identifications and responses of individual members;

tabulating admitted responses in accordance with tabulating instructions; and

storing tabulated responses of identified members.

85. A method for inducing participation in polls by making the results of such polls available to participants, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting electronic signals conveying questions intended to elicit responses from a central facility to members of an audience to be polled;

receiving elicitations at locations of said members;

providing to individual ones of said members means for entering a response;

a member entering a response;

providing means for communicating response data from the locations of responding members to a central data storage facility;

communicating said response data to said central data storage facility;

providing means at a central facility for identifying responding members;

storing the response data of identified responding members at a central data storage facility;

processing said response data; and

rewarding participants by informing them of the results of said processing.

86. A method for inducing participation in polls comprising the steps of:

transmitting electronic signals conveying questions intended to elicit responses from a central facility to members of an audience to be polled;

receiving elicitations at locations of said members;

providing to individual ones of said members means for entering a response;

a member entering a response;

providing a central data storage facility, and means for communicating response data from the locations of responding members to said central data storage facility;

communicating said response data to said central data storage facility;

providing means at a central facility for identifying responding members;

storing the response data of identified responding members at said central data storage facility;

processing, such as tabulating, said response data at a central facility;

entering responding members in a prize event;

conducting said prize event; and

rewarding winners of said event with a monetary or symbolic prize.

87. A method for eliciting and tabulating polling or survey responses comprising the steps of:

transmitting electronic signals eliciting expressions of opinion including responses by members of a remote audience to be polled, said responses to be tabulated;

formulating criteria determining the admissibility of responses for tabulation purposes;

providing means for entering a response to individual members of said audience;

a member entering a response;

providing programmable means for determining admissible responses meeting said formulated criteria;

determining admissible responses, responses not meeting said criteria being excluded from tabulation;

formulating guidelines governing the grouping of admissible responses;

grouping admissible responses in accordance with said guidelines;

formulating instructions governing the tabulating of grouped responses;

providing tabulating means;

tabulating grouped responses in accordance with said tabulating instructions;

providing means for identifying members having entered grouped responses; and

making the results of said grouped tabulation available to said identified members.

88. A method for eliciting and tabulating polling or survey responses comprising the steps of:

transmitting electronic signals eliciting responses including expressions of opinion by members of an audience to be polled, said responses to be tabulated;

formulating response criteria determining the admissibility of responses for tabulation purposes;

providing means for entering a response by individual members of said audience;

a member entering a response;

providing programmable means for determining an admissible response meeting said formulated criteria;

transmitting members'"'"' responses to said means for determining admissible responses;

determining admissible responses, responses not meeting said criteria being excluded from tabulation;

formulating guidelines governing the grouping of admissible responses;

providing programmable means for grouping admissible responses;

communicating admissible responses to said grouping means;

grouping admissible responses in accordance with said guidelines;

formulating instructions governing the tabulating of grouped responses;

providing programmable means for tabulating grouped responses;

communicating grouped responses to said tabulating means;

tabulating grouped responses in accordance with said tabulating instructions;

providing means for identifying members having entered tabulated responses;

identifying members having entered tabulated responses; and

making the results of said tabulation available to identified members.

89. A method for eliciting and tabulating polling or survey responses comprising the steps of:

formulating objectives of polling a universe of respondents;

formulating guidelines for dividing said universe of respondents into discrete groups based on political, geographic, demographic or psychographic criteria;

dividing said universe of respondents into a plurality of groups in accordance with said criteria;

formulating instructions for tabulating grouped responses to achieve said objectives;

formulating messages eliciting expressions of opinion from said respondents;

transmitting electronic signals conveying messages to members of the audience universe to be polled eliciting from said members responses including expressions of opinion;

formulating standards for the admissibility of responses for tabulation purposes;

providing to individual members of said audience means for entering a response;

a member entering a response;

providing programmable means for determining admissible responses meeting said standards;

providing electronic means for communicating entered responses to said determining means;

determining admissible responses, responses not meeting standards being excluded from tabulation;

grouping admitted responses in accordance with said guidelines;

providing means for tabulating grouped responses in accordance with said tabulating instructions; and

tabulating grouped responses in accordance with tabulating instructions to achieve objectives of said polling.

90. A method for encouraging participation in surveys or polls comprising the steps of:

transmitting electronic signals eliciting responses to questions from a central facility to members of an audience to be polled;

receiving elicitations at locations of said members;

providing to individual ones of said members means for entering a response;

entering responses by individual ones of said members;

providing a central data storage facility, and means for communicating response data from the locations of responding members to said central data storage facility for use in a survey or poll;

communicating said response data to said central facility;

storing members'"'"' response data at said central facility;

providing means at said central facility for identifying responding members;

entering identified responding members in a prize event;

conducting said event to determine at least one winning responding member entitled to a prize; and

informing winning members about a result of said prize event.

91. A method for eliciting and tabulating polling or survey responses comprising the steps of:

formulating a message to elicit responses to questions by members of an audience to be polled, said responses to be tabulated;

specifying a form of tabulation for achieving polling objectives;

transmitting signals conveying said message from a central location;

receiving said message at locations of said members;

providing to members of said audience telephonic means for entering a response;

a member entering a response;

formulating a response standard for validating the admissibility of responses to tabulation;

providing evaluation means to determine the admissibility of responses to tabulation in accordance with said standard;

communicating said response standard to said evaluation means;

communicating entered responses to said evaluation means;

validating the admissibility of responses to tabulation, responses not so validated being excluded from tabulation;

formulating instructions for constructing tabulations having the specified form;

providing means for tabulating admitted responses in accordance with said instructions;

communicating admitted responses to said tabulating means;

providing telephonic identification means for identifying members having entered an admitted response;

tabulating admitted responses in accordance with said instructions; and

storing identified members'"'"' admitted responses.

92. A method for eliciting and tabulating polling or survey response comprising the steps of:

formulating polling objectives;

formulating tabulating instructions to achieve said polling objectives;

formulating messages eliciting expressions of opinion from members of an audience to be polled;

transmitting electronic signals conveying messages eliciting from members of said audience responses including expressions of opinion;

formulating criteria determining the admissibility of responses for tabulation purposes;

providing means for entering a response by individual members of said audience;

a member entering a response;

providing programmable means for determining admissible responses meeting said formulated criteria, responses not meeting said criteria being excluded from tabulation;

providing means for communicating an entered response to said determining means;

determining admissible responses;

formulating tabulating instructions;

providing a storage facility, and means for communicating admitted responses to a storage facility;

storing admitted responses;

providing tabulating means communicatively connected to said storage facility and responsive to said tabulating instructions; and

tabulating responses in accordance with said tabulating instructions to achieve said polling objectives.

93. A method for attracting shoppers to a store offering alternative featured products for sale, by evaluating shoppers'"'"' responses to a task and creating multi-product prize tokens as a reward for a shopper acceptably responding to a task, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a task to shoppers for presentation to shoppers'"'"' televisions and/or radios, the task being accompanied by machine-readable response criteria signals defining an acceptable response;

providing means to a shopper for entering a response to said task;

a shopper entering a response to a task;

providing a response unit at shoppers'"'"' locations for receiving and reading response criteria signals and for comparing said response criteria of said signals to a shopper'"'"'s entered response to determine an acceptable entered response;

determining a shopper'"'"'s acceptable entered response;

providing a token generator operatively connected to and controlled by said response unit;

upon a determination of a shopper'"'"'s acceptable entered response, said response unit automatically activating the token generator to generate a multi-product token carrying a prize available upon purchase of at least one of a store'"'"'s alternative featured products;

wherein said multi-product token identifies a plurality of a store'"'"'s alternate featured products for later selection by a shopper;

wherein said product selection is made by a shopper by indicating a product on said prize token at any point in time between the time of token generation and the time of product purchase; and

wherein said prize is made available to a shopper upon purchase of a product.

94. A method for increasing the redemption rate of discount tokens comprising the steps of:

transmitting, from a central location, electronic signals conveying information regarding a plurality of alternative identified products, said product information including a product description, value or discount information, and token redemption information;

receiving and presenting said product information at remote locations of individual shoppers;

providing, at the locations of individual shoppers, a token generating unit activatable by said shoppers, said token generating unit having means for generating tokens containing information regarding identified products selected by individual shoppers;

a shopper selecting from said plurality of alternative products an identified product intended for purchase;

a shopper activating said token generating unit and identifying a selected product;

generating, upon activation of a shopper, a token from said generating unit, said token having identified selected product information thereon; and

giving value consideration to a shopper upon purchase of the identified selected product and presentation of said token at a redemption center.

95. A method for generating shopper-selected tokens carrying discounts on alternative products offered for retail sale, said method comprising the steps of:

providing information tabulating means for listing products offered for retail sale by a supplier, including associated product information, such as discount data;

tabulating and periodically updating said listing;

providing a product information storage facility having a memory programmable by instructional signals;

providing means for electronically communicating instructional signals conveying updated product information from a central location to said product information storage facility;

providing a shopper facility at shoppers'"'"' locations, said shopper facility including signal receiving means, a touch-sensitive display screen, communicating means for activating a displaying on said screen of product information stored in said information storage facility, means associated with said touch-sensitive screen for displaying updated product information on said screen and means operable by a shopper for inputting a shopper'"'"'s discounted product selection by touching the display of selected product information on said screen;

a shopper contacting said product information storage facility through said communicating means;

a shopper activating said display of product information;

providing means for communicating product information from said storage facility to said display screen;

communicating product information to said display screen;

displaying product information on said touch-sensitive display screen;

a shopper touching said screen to input a product selection;

providing means for communicating instructional signals conveying a shopper'"'"'s selected product information from said inputting means to a token generator;

providing a token generator responsive to instructional signals from said product selection means for generating a token carrying a discount on a shopper-selected product;

communicating said instructional signals to said token generator; and

generating a token carrying a discount on a shopper-selected product.

96. A method for eliciting task-response selections from members of a remote audience and for rewarding responding members with a discount token, said method comprising the steps of:

preparing at a central location a listing of products offered for sale by at least one supplier, said listing including associated product information, such as discounts available as a reward for making a product selection;

periodically updating said listing;

providing a storage facility for storing alternative product information having a product information memory electronically programmable by instructional signals, said storage facility having means for transmitting alternative updated product information upon being contacted by shoppers;

at least one supplier periodically communicating updated product information to said storage facility;

providing shoppers at their locations communication means having means for receiving product information signals, a touch-sensitive product display screen, means for contacting said product information storage facility, means for displaying product information on said screen, means for inputting a shopper'"'"'s product selection on said screen, said inputting step being performed by touching the display of the selected product information on said screen;

a shopper contacting said storage facility to request an alternative product listing;

said storage facility, upon being contacted by a shopper, transmitting alternative product information signals to said shopper'"'"'s display screen;

presenting said shopper with a task of selecting a product from said alternative products;

said shopper responding by making a product selection and inputting a product-selection on said screen;

providing at shoppers'"'"' locations a token generator operatively connected to and responsive to signals from said inputting means; and

rewarding a shopper for a product-selection by generating a token carrying a discount on the selected product.

97. A system for rewarding shoppers for a selection task by generating tokens carrying discounts on shopper-selected products offered for retail sale, the system comprising:

tabulating means for listing products offered for retail sale by a supplier, including associated product data, such as discount information;

a product information storage facility, and means for periodically updating said listing;

means for electronically communicating instructional signals conveying an updated product listing to said product information storage facility, said product information storage facility having a memory programmable by said instructional signals;

information means at shoppers'"'"' locations, including means for receiving product information signals, a touch-sensitive display screen, means for initiating a displaying on said screen-of product information stored in said information storage facility, means associated with said touch-sensitive screen for displaying updated product information on said screen, and means operable by a shopper for performing a selective task by inputting a shopper'"'"'s discounted product selection by touching the display of selected product information on said screen;

means for communicating product information from said storage facility to said display screen;

a token generator, and means for communicating task-responsive signals conveying a shopper'"'"'s selected product information from said inputting means to the token generator; and

wherein said token generator is responsive to instructional signals from said product selection input means for rewarding a shopper for said product selection by generating a token carrying a discount on the shopper-selected product.

122. The system according to claim 97 in which said product information storage facility is located at a retail store.

123. The system according to claim 97, in which said product information storage facility is a central facility shared by a plurality of stores.

124. The system according to claim 97, in which said token generator is located in the home of an individual one of the shoppers.

125. The system according to claim 97, in which said token generator is located in a store.

126. The system according to claim 97, in which said token generator is located at a central location.

98. A method for promoting the sale of products to shoppers comprising the steps of:

transmitting program signals conveying a program including a task from a central location, instructional response criteria signals identifying an acceptable response to a task in machine-readable form, and signals conveying a plurality of products discounted and/or featured by a provider of goods or services;

providing means to shoppers at remote locations for receiving and presenting said program;

providing to shoppers receiving said program a response unit comprising response entering means, response criteria receiving and reading means, response evaluation means and connected to said evaluation means a printer capable of printing a token listing a plurality of products, the response unit being programmable by said instructional signals transmitted from a central location;

said response unit receiving instructional signals defining an acceptable response to said task, an acceptable response being essentially an indication that the shopper is tuned in to said program;

a shopper responding to a task by entering a response on said entering means;

programming said response unit by instructional signals transmitted from a central location to identify an acceptable response entered by a shopper and by means of said response unit, generating a token with a listing of a plurality of discounted and/or featured products serving as a shopping menu;

making said token available to a shopper who has entered an acceptable response;

a shopper indicating a product choice on the token containing the shopper menu;

a shopper presenting said token for redemption at a retail outlet; and

the shopper receiving a prize or a discount upon purchase of an indicated product.

99. A system for transmitting task-setting program signals from a central site to potential shoppers at remote receiving stations and for responding to said program signals at said receiving stations, said system comprising:

central means for transmitting a merchandising program via a program signal, said program comprising a task-setting situation calling for a response;

means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said merchandising program signal to members of a potential shopping audience;

means at each of said receiving stations for entering a response by members of said audience to a task-setting situation presented in said program;

central means for transmitting an instructional signal incorporating response criteria defining at least one acceptable response to a task and accompanying scoring instructions;

response evaluation means communicatively connected to said entering means and responsive to said instructional signal, said evaluation means including means for a scored evaluation of responses by members of said audience, a scoring ranging from a simple comparison of an entered response to response criteria, in order to identify an acceptable response to a task, to the computerized evaluation of acceptable responses in accordance with response criteria and scoring instructions;

communication means operable by individual members of said audience for conveying purchase orders for merchandise from a merchandising facility; and

means for informing members of said audience of a score associated with their individual acceptable responses, said score entitling a member to a discount on purchased merchandise;

wherein said program and said instructional signals provide information of said task-setting program signals, said information comprising at least one question which is either a single-part question or a multiple-part question; and

wherein said information has been determined prior to operation of said entering means for entering a response.

127. The system according to claim 99, wherein said communication means further comprises caller identification means.

100. A system for transmitting task-setting program signals from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites and for responding to said program signals at said receiving stations, said system comprising:

central means for transmitting a merchandising program signal;

means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said merchandising program signal to members of an audience, said program comprising a task-setting situation calling for a response;

means at each of said receiving stations for entering a response by members of said audience to a task-setting situation presented in said program;

central means for transmitting an instructional signal incorporating response criteria defining at least one acceptable response to a task and accompanying scoring instructions;

response evaluation means at selected locations operationally connected to said entering means and response to said instructional signal, including means for the scored evaluation of responses by members of said audience, said scoring ranging from a simple comparison of an entered response to response criteria in order to identify an acceptable response to a task, to the computerized processing of acceptable responses in accordance with response criteria and scoring instructions;

communication means operable by individual members of said audience for ordering items of merchandise from a merchandising facility; and

means for informing members of said audience of a score associated with an individual acceptable response, said score entitling a member to a discount on purchased merchandise;

wherein said program and said instructional signals provide information of said task-setting program signals, said information comprising at least one question which is either a single-part question or a multiple-part question; and

wherein said information has been determined prior to operation of said entering means for entering a response.

128. The method according to claim 100, wherein a member is informed of a score at the time of placing an order.

129. The method according to claim 100, wherein occasional discounts are interspersed in orders placed.

130. The method according to claim 100, wherein a response is a selection-type response.

131. The system according to claim 100 wherein a memory is provided at a shopper'"'"'s location, said memory listing a plurality of numbered products for selection by number by a shopper, the system further comprising means for entering by a shopper the number of a product selected by said shopper, and means connected to said memory for generating a token carrying a discount on the product selected by the shopper, said token generating means being automatically activated when the numbered product selected by the shopper is included among products featured by a marketer.

132. The system according to claim 100 wherein said respondents evaluation means are located at a merchandise facility, such as a televised home shopping facility.

133. The method according to any one of claims 98, 99, or 100 wherein an acceptable response is a characterized type of answer which has been selected from the group of answers comprising bracketing answers, straddling answer, mathematically defined answers, geometrically defined answers, or answers the type of which is prescribed in the task.

134. The method according to claim 100 wherein said program signal and said instructional signal are recorded on separate recording media and wherein said central means includes playback means allowing said recording media to be played back in a synchronized manner.

140. A method for rewarding responses to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who have responded to said messages in a manner meeting response and scoring criteria, which method comprises the steps of:

transmitting signals to the members of the remote audience, the signals conveying a presentation of messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

providing response criteria governing responses for responding to individual ones of tasks of said task-setting messages;

responding to said tasks by members of said audience;

comparing a response of a member of said remote audience with said response criteria;

scoring each response in accordance with said scoring criteria;

creating a record on a recording medium at each said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step, wherein said creating includes providing said record with at least one distinguishing indicium selected from a group of process steps producing discrete dashes, connected dashes, dots, regular shapes, irregular shapes, codes, numbers, letters and symbols, so as to prevent tampering, forging, and counterfeiting;

allowing interaction between a member of the remote audience and the central station by means of a communication link between a remote location and the central station;

altering the response criteria in accordance with said interaction; and

permitting further response by members of the remote audience in accordance with altered response criteria.

191. A method according to any one of claims 140, 141, 155, 165, 169, 178, 182 and 188 wherein said step of scoring comprises:

establishing a central facility distant from a plurality of the members of said audience for evaluating a response of a member of the audience in accordance with said criteria to identify an acceptable answer;

locating comparing means at said central facility for performing said comparing step at said central facility;

communicating a response from a member of said audience to said central facility prior to performing said steps of comparing and scoring; and

communicating a result of said scoring step to said member of said audience upon completion of said scoring step.

141. A method for rewarding responses to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who have responded to said messages in a manner meeting response and scoring criteria, which method comprises the steps of:

transmitting signals to the members of the remote audience, the signals conveying a presentation of messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

providing response criteria governing responses for responding to individual ones of tasks of said task-setting messages;

responding to said tasks by members of said audience;

comparing a response of a member of said remote audience with said response criteria;

scoring each response in accordance with said scoring criteria; and

creating a record on a recording medium at each said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step, wherein said creating includes providing said record with at least one distinguishing indicium selected from a group of process steps producing discrete dashes, connected dashes, dots, regular shapes, irregular shapes, codes, numbers, letters and symbols, so as to prevent tampering, forging, and counterfeiting.

155. A method for rewarding responses to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who have responded to said messages in a manner meeting response and scoring criteria, which method comprises the steps of:

transmitting signals to the members of the remote audience, the signals conveying a presentation of messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

providing response criteria governing responses for responding to individual ones of tasks of said task-setting messages;

responding to said tasks by members of said audience;

comparing a response of a member of said remote audience with said response criteria;

scoring each response in accordance with said scoring criteria;

crediting a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria; and

wherein said task-setting messages provide for either a single-part question or a multiple-part question, and said task-setting messages and said response-criteria have been determined prior to performance of said responding step.

165. A method for rewarding responses to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who have responded to said messages in a manner meeting response and scoring criteria, which method comprises the steps of:

transmitting signals to the members of the remote audience, the signals conveying a presentation of messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

providing response criteria governing responses to individual ones of tasks of said task-setting messages;

responding to said tasks by members of said audience;

comparing a response of a member of said remote audience with said response criteria;

scoring each response in accordance with said scoring criteria;

crediting a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria, said crediting including creating a record of scored response results from said scoring step;

allowing interaction between a member of the remote audience and the central station by means of a communication link between a remote location and the central station;

altering the scoring criteria in accordance with said interaction; and

permitting further scoring of responses by members of the remote audience in accordance with altered scoring criteria.

166. A method for rewarding responses to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who have responded to said messages in a manner meeting response and scoring criteria, which method comprises the steps of:

transmitting signals to the members of the remote audience, the signals conveying a presentation of messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

providing response criteria governing responses to individual ones of tasks of said task-setting messages;

responding to said tasks by members of said audience;

comparing a response of a member of said remote audience with said response criteria;

scoring each response in accordance with said scoring criteria;

crediting a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria, said crediting including creating a record of scored response results from said scoring step;

selecting an area of interest in said tasks; and

selecting a difficulty level of said tasks, said scoring criteria varying with said difficulty level.

169. A method for rewarding responses to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who have responded to said messages in a manner meeting response and scoring criteria, which method comprises the steps of:

transmitting signals to the members of the remote audience, the signals conveying a presentation of messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

providing response criteria governing responses for responding to individual ones of tasks of said task-setting messages;

responding to said tasks by members of said audience;

comparing a response of a member of said remote audience with said response criteria;

scoring each response in accordance with said scoring criteria;

crediting a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria, said crediting including creating a record of scored response results from said scoring step;

allowing interaction between a member of the remote audience and the central station by means of a communication link between a remote location and the central station;

altering the response criteria in accordance with said interaction; and

permitting further response by members of the remote audience in accordance with altered response criteria.

170. A method for rewarding responses to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who have responded to said messages in a manner meeting response and scoring criteria, which method comprises the steps of:

transmitting signals to the members of the remote audience, the signals conveying a presentation of messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

providing response criteria governing responses for responding to individual ones of tasks of said task-setting messages;

responding to said tasks by members of said audience;

comparing a response of a member of said remote audience with said response criteria;

scoring each response in accordance with said scoring criteria;

crediting a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria, said crediting including creating a record of scored response results from said scoring step;

selecting an area of interest in said tasks; and

selecting a difficulty level of said tasks, said scoring criteria varying with said difficulty level.

178. A method for rewarding responses to task-setting messages conveying a plurality of tasks including a first task and a second task, said task-setting messages being transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who respond to said messages in a manner meeting response and scoring criteria, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting signals to the members of the remote audience, the signals conveying a presentation of messages defining a first task to be performed by members of the audience;

providing response criteria governing responses for responding to individual ones of the tasks of said task-setting messages;

responding to said first task by members of said audience;

comparing a response of a member of said remote audience with said response criteria;

scoring each response to said first task in accordance with said scoring criteria;

transmitting the second task to the audience members;

modifying said response criteria at said central station to provide a second response criteria for said second task independently of said transmitting of said signals;

permitting further response by members of the remote audience in accordance with said second task and said second response criteria; and

recrediting a member of the remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said first mentioned response criteria and said second response criteria.

182. A method for rewarding responses to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who have responded to said messages in a manner meeting response and scoring criteria, which method comprises the steps of:

transmitting signals to the members of the remote audience, the signals conveying a presentation of messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

providing response criteria governing responses for responding to individual ones of tasks of said task-setting messages;

responding to said tasks by members of said audience;

comparing a response of a member of said remote audience with said response criteria;

scoring each response in accordance with said scoring criteria;

crediting a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria;

modifying the scoring criteria at said central station to provide a second scoring criteria independently of said transmitting of said signals permitting further scoring of responses of members of the remote audience in accordance with said second scoring criteria.

186. A method for rewarding responses to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who have responded to said messages in a manner meeting response criteria, which method comprises the steps of:

transmitting signals to the members of the remote audience, the signals conveying a presentation of messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

providing response means to the members of the remote audience;

providing response criteria in the form of an instructional signal for the response means to enable the members of the remote audience at remote locations to respond to individual tasks of said task-setting messages, said response criteria including a scoring basis for responses entered by the members of the remote audience, said instructional signal activating said response means to provide for a scoring of a response by a member of the remote audience;

entering responses to said task-setting messages at the response means by members of said audience;

comparing individual ones of said responses entered by a member of said remote audience with said response criteria;

scoring responses in accordance with said scoring basis at the response means;

crediting a member of said remote audience who has entered a response meeting said response criteria, said crediting including creating a record of scored response results from said scoring step;

wherein said instructional signal can be generated to activate an individual one of said response means independently of said step of providing the response criteria.

188. A method for rewarding responses to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who have responded to said messages in a manner meeting response and scoring criteria, which method comprises the steps of:

transmitting program signals to the members of said remote audience, the program signals conveying a presentation of messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

providing response criteria governing responses for responding to individual ones of tasks of said task-setting messages;

responding to said tasks by members of said audience;

comparing a response of a member of said remote audience with said response criteria;

designating a mode of scoring responses of members of said remote audience, said mode of scoring establishing said scoring criteria, said step of designating being accomplished independently of said step of transmitting the program signals;

scoring each response in accordance with said scoring criteria;

crediting a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria;

wherein said task-setting messages and said criteria provide for either a single-part question or a multiple-part question, and said task-setting messages and said response-criteria have been determined prior to performance of said responding step.

192. A system for evaluating responses by members of an audience to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to locations remote from the central station, the audience members being located at the remote locations, the system comprising:

transmitter means for transmitting program signals to the remote locations, the program signals conveying a presentation of data including task-setting messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

response means at the remote locations operable by individual ones of the audience members for responding to the task-setting messages;

means for applying response-criteria signals to said response means, said response means being activated by the response-criteria signals, said response criteria signals conveying a response criteria including a scoring basis for evaluating acceptable responses entered by the audience members;

wherein said response means includes means for comparing a response entered by an audience member with said response criteria, means for scoring a response to output a score based on said scoring basis, and means coupled to said scoring means for generating a record on a recording medium, a result of said scoring means appearing on said recording medium upon activation of said scoring means;

said system further comprises communication means allowing interaction between an audience member and the central station;

said record generating means provides said record with at least one distinguishing indicium selected from a group of process steps producing discrete dashes, connected dashes, dots, regular shapes, irregular shapes, codes, numbers, letters and symbols, so as to prevent tampering, forging, and counterfeiting; and

at least one of said transmitter means and said applying means provides for modification of its signals to alter the acceptability of a response.

231. A system according to any one of claims 192, or 214 further comprising:

a central facility distant from the locations of a plurality of the members of said audience for evaluating a response of a member of the audience in accordance with said response criteria to identify an acceptable answer, said comparing means and said scoring means being located at said central facility; and

wherein said communication means provides for communication of a response from a member of said audience to said central facility for operation of said comparing means and said scoring means upon said response; and

said communication means provides for communicating a result of a scoring of the response to said member of said audience.

202. A system for evaluating responses by members of an audience to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to locations remote from the central station, the audience members being located at the remote locations, the system comprising:

transmitter means for transmitting program signals to the remote locations, the program signals conveying a presentation of data including task-setting messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

means for entering responses at the remote locations operable by individual ones of the audience members for responding to the task-setting messages;

evaluation means for evaluating a response entered by a member;

means for applying response-criteria signals to said evaluation means, said evaluation means being activated by the response-criteria signals, said response criteria signals conveying a response criteria including scoring criteria for evaluating acceptable responses to be entered by the audience members;

wherein said evaluation means includes means for comparing a response entered by an audience member with said response criteria, means for scoring a response to output a score based on the scoring criteria, and means electronically linked to said scoring means for generating a record on a recording medium, a result of said scoring means appearing on said recording medium upon activation of said scoring means;

said scoring means credits a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria; and

said task-setting messages and said response criteria provide for either a single-part question or a multiple-part question, and said task-setting messages and said response-criteria has been determined prior to entry of a response at said response means by a member of the audience.

203. A system according to claim 202 wherein individual ones of said evaluation means are provided at the locations of individual ones of said audience members and coupled to said response means at the remote locations.

204. A system according to claim 202 wherein said evaluation means is located at a facility remote from the locations of said audience members.

205. A system according to claim 202 wherein said tasks include the playing of a game.

206. A system according to claim 202 wherein said record includes scored response results from said scoring means.

207. A system according to claim 206 wherein said record includes token means, said record generating means dispensing said token means as a reward to a member of said audience having responded with an acceptable response.

208. A system according to claim 202 wherein said record generating means dispenses token means having said credits at a site remote from members of said audience.

209. A system according to claim 202 wherein said credits are provided electronically.

210. A system according to claim 202 wherein said record includes said credits and is issued by said record generating means as coupons carrying a reward having value.

211. A system according to claim 202 wherein a member of said remote audience is provided with said evaluation means, said evaluation means being linked electronically to said central station for enabling said record generating means to output token means representative of an acceptable response to a task.

212. A system according to claim 202 wherein a member of said remote audience is provided with evaluation means linked electronically to said central station for outputting token means representative of an acceptable response to a task, and said comparing means is operative at the location of a member of said remote audience.

213. A system according to claim 202 wherein said comparing means is located at a site separate from members of said audience.

232. A system according to any one of claims 202, 215, 225 or 227 further comprising:

a central facility distant from the locations of a plurality of the members of said audience for evaluating a response of a member of the audience in accordance with said response criteria to identify an acceptable answer, said comparing means and said scoring means being located at said central facility; and

communication means linking said remote locations of said audience members with said central facility, wherein said communication means provides for communication of a response from a member of said audience to said central facility for operation of said comparing means and said scoring means upon said response; and

said communication means provides for communicating a result of a scoring of the response to said member of said audience.

214. A system for evaluating responses by members of an audience to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to locations remote from the central station, the audience members being located at the remote locations, the system comprising:

transmitter means for transmitting program signals to the remote locations, the program signals conveying a presentation of data including task-setting messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

response entry means at the remote locations operable by individual ones of the audience members for responding to the task-setting messages;

response evaluation means, and means for applying response-criteria signals to said response entry means, said response evaluation means being activated by the response-criteria signals, said response criteria signals conveying a response criteria including scoring criteria for evaluating acceptable responses entered by the audience members;

wherein said response evaluation means includes means for comparing a response entered by an audience member with said response criteria, means for scoring a response to output a score based on said scoring criteria, and means electronically linked to said scoring means for generating a record on a recording medium, a result of said scoring means appearing on said recording medium upon activation of said scoring means;

said scoring means provides credits to a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria, and said record includes a scored response results from said scoring means;

said system further comprises communication means allowing interaction between an audience member and the central station;

at least one of said transmitter means and said applying means provides for modification of its signal to alter a task of a task-setting message and the acceptability of responses by alteration of a criteria in accordance with said interaction; and

further responses by members of the remote audience are scored in accordance with altered tasks and criteria.

216. A system according to claim 214 wherein said tasks include the playing of a game.

217. A system according to claim 214 wherein said record generating means dispenses token means having said credits at a site remote from members of said audience.

218. A system according to claim 214 wherein a member of said remote audience is provided with said response evaluation means linked electronically to said central station for outputting token means representative of an acceptable response to one of said tasks, and said credits are provided by said response evaluation means at the location of a member of said remote audience.

219. A system according to claim 214 wherein a member of said remote audience is provided with at least a portion of said response evaluation means linked electronically to said central station for outputting token means representative of an acceptable response to said task, and said comparing means of said response evaluation means is operative at the location of a member of said remote audience.

220. A system according to claim 214 wherein said comparing means is operative at a site remote from members of said audience.

221. A system according to claim 214 wherein said comparing means is located at said central station.

215. A system for evaluating responses by members of an audience to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to locations remote from the central station, the audience members being located at the remote locations, the system comprising:

transmitter means for transmitting program signals to the remote locations, the program signals conveying a presentation of data including task-setting messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

response entry means at the remote locations operable by individual ones of the audience members for responding to the task-setting messages;

response evaluation means, and means for applying response-criteria signals to said response entry means, said response evaluation means being activated by the response-criteria signals, said response criteria signals conveying a response criteria including scoring criteria for evaluating acceptable responses entered by the audience members;

wherein said response evaluation means includes means for comparing a response entered by an audience member with said response criteria, means for scoring a response to output a score based on said scoring criteria, and means electronically linked to said scoring means for generating a record on a recording medium, a result of said scoring means appearing on said recording medium upon activation of said scoring means;

said scoring means provides credits to a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria, and said record includes a scored response results from said scoring means;

at least one of said transmitter means and said applying means provides for modification of its signal to alter a task of a task-setting message and the acceptability of responses by alteration of a criteria; and

further responses by members of the remote audience are scored in accordance with altered tasks and criteria.

222. A system according to claim 215 wherein said tasks include the playing of a game.

223. A system according to claim 215 wherein said record includes scored response results from said scoring means.

224. A system according to claim 223 wherein said record comprises a coupon, said record generating means comprises means for dispensing said coupon as a reward to a member of said audience having responded with an acceptable response.

226. A system according to claim 225 wherein said tasks include the playing of a game.

228. A system according to claim 227 wherein said credits are established electronically.

229. A system according to claim 227 wherein said credits are outputted by said record generating means by issuance of said record as a coupon carrying a reward having value.

234. A method according to claim 233 wherein said means for establishing a record includes a printer located at an individual one of said response means.

235. A method according to claim 233 wherein said means for establishing a record includes a printer located at said central response facility.

236. A method according to claim 233 wherein said means for establishing a record includes a plurality of printers located at individual ones of said response means and at said central response facility.

237. A method according to claim 233 wherein said step of locating provides for locating said comparing means at said central response facility.

238. A method according to claim 233 wherein said step of locating provides for locating said scoring means at said central response facility.

239. A method according to claim 233 wherein said step of locating provides for locating said award crediting means at said central response facility.

240. A method according to claim 233 wherein said step of locating provides for locating said award crediting means at individual ones of said response means.

241. A method according to claim 233 wherein said step of comparing employs said comparing means to determine that a response is a single term including a yes or a no or an alphanumeric entry.

242. A method according to claim 266 wherein, for use in said comparing step, said response criteria includes at least one reference element for said comparing means to be compared with the response of a member of the remote audience to determine an acceptable response by the member, and wherein said crediting includes creating a record of scored response results from said scoring step, there being a further step of storing said record in a memory of said memory means located at an individual one of said response means of a member of the remote audience.

243. A method according to claim 233 wherein said communications system comprises a telephone system with telephone lines providing telephonic communication between said transmission station and said central response processing facility and said response means of the members of the remote audience, and wherein said step of allowing data communication is accomplished by transmission of telephonic signals on said telephone lines.

244. A method according to claim 233 wherein said communications system comprises a telephone system with telephone lines providing telephonic communication between said transmission station and said central response processing facility, and wherein said step of allowing data communication includes transmission of telephonic signals on said telephone lines.

245. A method according to claim 233 wherein said communications system comprises a telephone system with telephone lines providing telephonic communication between said transmission station and said response means of the members of the remote audience, and wherein said step of allowing data communication includes transmission of telephonic signals on said telephone lines.

246. A method according to claim 233 wherein said communications system comprises a telephone system with telephone lines providing telephonic communication between said central response processing facility and said response means of the members of the remote audience, and wherein said step of allowing data communication includes transmission of telephonic signals on said telephone lines.

248. The system of claim 247, wherein said central display facility is operative to display a product inventory limited to one or a few display items of each product kind.

249. The system of claim 247, wherein said TV cameras have zoom lenses for product closeups.

250. The system of claim 247, wherein product positions within said display facility are coded, and TV cameras are provided with guidance systems for selectively focusing on said product positions.

251. The system of claim 247, wherein said token is a rebate check.

252. The system of claim 247, wherein said entering means is operative to respond to a wholesale buyer'"'"'s written product order for requesting a rebate check.

253. The system of claim 247, including means for recording a buyer'"'"'s cumulative token requests so as to create a buyer'"'"'s purchasing profile.

254. The system of claim 247, further comprising a buyer'"'"'s split TV screen, and having means for showing requested product information and a product close-up simultaneously on said buyer'"'"'s split TV screen.

255. The system of claim 247, wherein said display facility has the compact architecture of an exhibiting facility designed for a single supplier.

256. The system of claim 247, wherein said display facility has the compact architecture of a facility for exhibiting the products of suppliers having a commonality of products or locations.

257. The system of claim 255 or claim 256, further comprising a central information disseminating facility coupled to said storage facility.

258. The system of claim 247, in which said audio and video signals are transmitted from a common location.

259. The system of claim 247, in which said audio and video signals are transmitted from separate locations.

260. The system of claim 247, comprising means at one location for transmitting product information and means at a further location for transmitting TV signals.

262. The method according to claim 294, including the step of recording a supplier'"'"'s updated product information and erasing previously recorded information pertaining to the same protocol.

264. A method according to claim 263 further comprising steps of recording a player'"'"'s individual lottery number on a ticket medium at a player'"'"'s location and, subsequently, recording said winning number on said ticket medium.

265. A method according to claim 264 further comprising a step of honoring a ticket bearing a player'"'"'s individual lottery number and a winning number, wherein said lottery number and said winning number have a determined correlation.

266. A method according to claim 265 wherein said determined correlation is selected from a group of relationships consisting of matching, partially matching, mathematical and exclusionary type.

268. A system according to claim 267 further comprising means to formulate and to store criteria defining an acceptable wager, comparison means to determine the acceptability of a wager in relation to said criteria, and means for canceling or rejecting wagers not meeting said criteria.

269. A system according to claim 267 further comprising a facility for honoring a winning record.

270. A system according to claim 269 further comprising communication means for communicating between said facility for the honoring of a winning record and said data storage facility for authenticating a winning record.

271. A system according to claim 267 wherein said second electronic signals also convey information relative to a win in said game.

275. A system according to claim 267 wherein said central data storage facility is at a location remote from said central location for the determining of a winning indicium.

277. A method according to claim 276 wherein said transmitting step is part of an educational program, each of said items is an element in a course of study, said designating step serves to select a course of study, said communicating step provides a task to be performed for learning about a designated item, said establishing step provides a response to the task, and said acknowledging step includes an announcing by persons at said remote stations of their successes in performing the tasks.

278. A method according to claim 277 wherein a response unit is located at each of said remote stations, the method further comprising a step of wagering upon an item for which a match may be obtained, said wagering being accomplished by entry of identity of one or more of said items in the response unit at a remote station.

279. A method according to claim 276 wherein said transmitting step is part of a merchandising program, each of said items is suitable for purchase, said designating step serves to select items which may be purchased at a reduced price, said communicating step provides information of price reduction about a designated item, said establishing step establishes a reference value of a reduced price, and said acknowledging step is accomplished in response to the obtaining of a match between a designated item and an item available at discount, said acknowledging step including initiation of purchase of individual ones of said items by persons at said remote stations.

280. A method according to claim 279 wherein a response unit is located at each of said remote stations, the method further comprising a step of wagering upon an item for which a match may be obtained, said wagering being accomplished by entry of identity of one or more of said items in a response unit at a remote station.

281. A method according to claim 279 wherein said communicating step is performed after said designating step by an elapsed interval of time, the time interval exceeding a plurality of days.

285. A system according to claim 284 wherein an entering of an acceptable response by said response-entering means is accomplished by the shopper selecting and entering at least one of said alternative products.

286. A system according to claim 284, wherein an entering of a response by said response-entering means is accomplished by the shopper entering the response vocally.

287. A system according to claim 284, wherein said task includes a question requiring a multiple choice response.

288. A system according to claim 284 wherein said tokens are discount coupons.

289. A system according to claim 288, wherein said coupons bear discounts on the price of the products selected by the winning shopper.

291. A method according to claim 290 further comprising a step of providing a token to a winning respondent, the token having value to serve as a prize to the winning respondent.

292. A method according to claim 290 wherein said program is an audio-visual program, and said data transmitting step includes presenting audio-visual data of all of said contestants.

293. A method according to claim 292 wherein said step of presenting the program to the respondents and said step of transmitting data are accomplished by televising images of said scenario and of said contestants to said respondents, and said data includes a personal profile for each of said contestants.

294. A method according to claim 290 wherein said task includes a multi-part question about said scenario, any one of said contestants may answer one or more parts of the multi-part question, the method including a further step of scoring contestants based on a number of the parts of the multipart question which has been answered acceptably, and wherein the method comprises a further step of a respondent predicting a score of a contestant.

295. A method according to claim 290 further comprising steps of:

a respondent responding to the task with an answer;

comparing a respondent'"'"'s answer with the response of a winning contestant to determine the presence of a match;

scoring a respondent'"'"'s prediction or selection of a winning contestant; and

enhancing a score obtained in said scoring step in the presence of the match.

296. A method according to claim 290 further comprising steps of transmitting an instructional signal incorporating predetermined response criteria to said remote sites or to a central site;

entering responses by said respondents to tasks of said program signals; and

scoring responses to the tasks in addition to the step of evaluating predictions or selections.

297. A method according to claim 296 further comprising steps of:

selectively altering a mode of scoring individual ones of said responses by respondents in response to an instructional signal from said central station; and

wherein said instructional signal can be altered to change criteria of said scoring mode independently of a transmission of said program from said central station.

298. A method according to claim 296 wherein said response criteria is a first response criteria and wherein said central station transmits electronic signals for conveying a plurality of messages, the method comprising steps of:

modifying at said central station said first response criteria to provide a second response criteria independently of said transmitting of a first set of said electronic signals;

transmitting additional ones of said first set of electronic signals for conveying additional task-setting messages of said plurality of messages; and

transmitting to said remote sites additional ones of a second set of electronic signals to convey said second response criteria governing responses to said additional task-setting messages.

299. A method according to claim 296 further comprising a step of weighting one of a score of said scoring step and a reevaluation of said evaluating step by the other of said score and said evaluation to obtain a total score.

300. A method according to claim 296 further comprising a step of summing a score of said scoring step and a reevaluation of said evaluating step to obtain a total score.

301. A method according to claim 290 wherein, in said step of evaluating responses of the contestants, there is a step of scoring responses of said contestants to produce a ranking of respective ones of said contestants.

302. A method according to claim 301 wherein said predicting or selecting step includes a step of predicting or selecting the ranking of a plurality of said contestants with respect to the scores of said plurality of contestants.

303. A method according to claim 301 further comprising steps of:

transmitting a first set of electronic signals conveying a first task-setting message of said plurality of messages from a central station to receivers at said remote sites;

receiving said first set of signals at said remote sites;

entering responses by respective ones of said respondents to said first task-setting message at said remote sites;

generating, at said central station, a first response criteria independently of said transmitting of said first set of electronic signals;

transmitting from said central station a second set of electronic signals conveying said first response criteria relative to said first task-setting message to said remote sites;

receiving said second set of signals at said remote sites;

comparing said responses with said first response criteria, said first response criteria comprising suitable words including alphanumerics and other indicia, and said responses comprising words including alphanumerics and other indicia;

identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said first response criteria; and

wherein said step of comparing provides for a comparing of at least one key word or element in a response with said first response criteria;

said first response criteria includes a scoring basis, said method further comprising steps of;

scoring accepted responses of said respondents meeting said scoring basis of said first response criteria;

modifying, at said central station, said first response criteria to provide a further response criteria independently of said transmitting of said first set of electronic signals;

transmitting additional ones of said first set of electronic signals for conveying additional task-setting messages of said plurality of messages; and

transmitting to said remote locations additional ones of said second set of electronic signals to convey said further response criteria governing responses to said additional task-setting messages.

304. A method according to claim 301, wherein-each of said remote sites of said respondents is provided with a response unit, said method further comprising steps of:

transmitting audio-visual signals to said respondents, the audio-visual signals conveying a presentation of data accompanied by task-setting messages defining tasks to be performed by said respondents;

transmitting signals conveying response criteria to said respondents'"'"' response units at said remote sites for responding to individual ones of said task-setting messages, said response criteria including a scoring basis with responses to be entered by said respondents, said scoring basis including a difficulty level;

entering responses to said task-setting members by said respondents;

comparing individual ones of said responses entered by one of said respondents with said response criteria;

scoring each response relative to said response criteria in correlation with a difficulty level;

creating a record on a recording medium at each of said remote sites of scored response results from said scoring step, wherein said creating includes providing said record with at least one distinguishing indicium selected from a group of process steps producing discrete dashes, connected dashes, dots, regular shapes, irregular shapes, codes, numbers, letters and symbols, so as to prevent tampering, forging, and counterfeiting;

allowing interaction between one of said respondents and the central station by means of a communication link between a remote site and the central station;

altering the response criteria in accordance with said interaction; and

permitting further response by said respondents in accord with altered response criteria.

305. A method according to claim 301 wherein, prior to said step of presenting said program to said respondents, there is a step of recording said step of presenting said program to said contestants, and wherein said step of presenting said program to said respondents includes a step of playing back a recording of said recording step to said respondents.

306. A method according to claim 290 wherein, prior to said step of presenting said program to said respondents, there is a step of recording said step of presenting said program to said contestants, and wherein said step of presenting said program to said respondents includes a step of playing back a recording of said recording step to said respondents.

307. A method according to claim 290 wherein, prior to said step of presenting said program to said contestants, there is a step of transmitting data of said contestants to said respondents.

308. A method according to claim 290 further comprising a step of providing said interval of time for said respondents to predict or select said winning one of said contestants who is to provide the acceptable response to said task.

309. A method according to claim 290 wherein each of said receiving stations is provided with a response unit capable of electrically communicating with said central station, and wherein, in said predicting or selecting step, an individual one of said respondents enters a prediction or selection via said response unit for communicating said prediction or selection to said central station.

310. A method according to claim 309 further comprising a step of providing a token to a winning respondent, wherein said token has value to serve as a prize to the winning respondent, said token has the form of a record on a recording medium, said response unit in any one of said receiving stations includes a printer for printing the record on the recording medium, and said step of providing the token includes a step of printing the record on the recording medium in response to a communicating from said central station to said response unit of a determination of winning respondent.

311. A method according to claim 290 further comprising steps of:

a respondent responding to the task with an answer;

comparing a respondent'"'"'s answer with the response of a winning contestant to determine the presence of a match;

scoring a respondent'"'"'s prediction or selection of a winning contestant; and

enhancing a score obtained in said scoring step upon the occurrence of the match.

312. A method according to claim 311 wherein said evaluating and said scoring are performed at said central station.

313. A method according to claim 311 wherein at least one of said contestants including said one winning contestant provide acceptable responses to said task and, wherein, in said predicting or selecting step, a respondent predicts a plurality of winning contestants of said at least one contestant and, wherein, said scoring step provides for a larger score to a respondent predicting a larger number of winning contestants than to a respondent predicting a smaller number of winning contestants.

314. A method according to claim 290 wherein at least one of said contestants including said one winning contestant provide acceptable responses to said task and, in said predicting or selecting step, a respondent predicts a plurality of winning contestants of said at least one contestant, said method further comprising a step of scoring a respondent'"'"'s prediction or selection of a winning contestant, wherein said scoring step provides for a larger score to a respondent predicting or selecting a larger number of winning contestants than to a respondent predicting or selecting a smaller number of winning contestants.

315. A method according to claim 290 wherein said step of presenting said program to said respondents is accomplished by transmitting electrical signals between said central station and said plurality of receiving stations, said electrical signals carrying data of said program, and wherein said predicting or selecting step includes transmitting of electronic signals carrying predictions or selections from individual ones of said receiving stations to said central station.

316. A method according to claim 290 wherein said predicting or selecting step is a first predicting or selecting step, each of said remote sites of said respondents having a response unit, the method further comprising steps of:

generating, at said central station, a first response criteria for judging responses of said contestants to said task, said generating of said first response criteria occurring prior to said step of presenting said program to said contestants, said step of evaluating responses of said contestants employing said first response criteria to determine a winning contestant;

prior to said first predicting or selecting step, transmitting said first response criteria to the response unit of each of said respondents;

subsequent to said step of evaluating responses of said contestants, modifying, at said central station, said first response criteria to provide a further response criteria for judging responses of said contestants to said task;

transmitting said further response criteria to said respondents;

wherein the method further comprises a second step of predicting or selecting, by individual ones of said respondents, a winning one of said contestants who provides an acceptable response to said task based on said further response criteria, said second predicting or selecting step being performed within a second predetermined interval of time;

subsequent to said second interval of time, said contestants providing responses to said task based on said further response criteria;

evaluating responses of said contestants, based on said further response criteria, to determine a winning contestant; and

identifying a winning one of said respondents who has correctly predicted or selected the identity of a winning contestant in said first predicting or selecting step and in said second predicting or selecting step.

317. A method according to claim 316 wherein said contestants are located within said studio, the method further comprising a step of televising an image of said contestants to said respondents from a time preceding said step of presenting said program to said contestants to a time subsequent to said step of said contestants providing responses to said task based on said further criteria.

318. A method according to claim 317 further comprising steps of:

allowing interaction between a respondent at one of said receiving stations and said central station by means of a communication link between said one receiving station and said central station; and

wherein there is a step of altering the first response criteria in accordance with said interaction.

319. A method according to claim 290 wherein there are additional ones of said respondents located in a facility, including an auditorium, proximate to said central station, or linked to said central station by audio and/or visual communication means.

225. A system for evaluating responses by members of an audience to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to locations remote from the central station, the audience members being located at the remote locations, the system comprising:

transmitter means for transmitting program signals to the remote locations, the program signals conveying a presentation of data including task-setting messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience relative to said presentation;

response means at the remote locations operable by individual ones of the audience members for responding to the task-setting messages;

means for applying response-criteria signals to said response means, said applying means including means for generating an instructional signal including said response-criteria signals, said response means being activated by the response-criteria signals, said response criteria signals conveying a response criteria including scoring criteria for evaluating acceptable responses entered by the audience members;

wherein said response means includes means for comparing a response entered by an audience member with said response criteria, means for scoring a response to output a score based on said scoring criteria, and means electronically linked to said scoring means for generating a record on a recording medium, a result of said scoring means appearing on said recording medium upon activation of said scoring means;

said scoring means provides credits to a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria, and said record includes a scored response results from said scoring means; and

wherein said instructional signal can be generated to activate an individual one of said response means independently of said step of providing the response criteria.

227. A system for rewarding responses by members of an audience to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to locations remote from the central station, the audience members being located at the remote locations, the system comprising:

transmitter means for transmitting program signals to the remote locations, the program signals conveying a presentation of data including task-setting messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience relative to said presentation;

response means at the remote locations operable by individual ones of the audience members for responding to the task-setting messages;

means for applying response-criteria signals to said response means, said response means being activated by the response-criteria signals, said response criteria signals conveying a response criteria including scoring criteria for evaluating acceptable responses entered by the audience members;

wherein said response means includes means for comparing a response entered by an audience member with said response criteria, means for scoring a response to output a score based on said scoring criteria, and means electronically linked to said scoring means for generating a record on a recording medium, a result of said scoring means appearing on said recording medium upon activation of said scoring means;

said scoring means provides credits to a member of said remote audience who has responded in a manner meeting said response criteria, and said record includes a scored response results from said scoring means;

wherein said applying means includes means for designating a mode of scoring responses of members of said remote audience, said mode of scoring being included in said scoring criteria for establishing said scoring criteria, said designating means being operative independently of a transmitting of the program signals; and

said task-setting messages and said scoring criteria provide for either a single-part question or a multiple-part question, and said task-setting messages and said response-criteria have been determined prior to performance of responding step.

230. A system for evaluating responses by members of an audience to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to locations remote from the central station, the audience members being located at the remote locations, the system comprising:

transmitter means for transmitting program signals to the remote locations, the program signals conveying a presentation of data accompanied by task-setting messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience relative to said presentation;

response means at the remote locations operable by individual ones of the audience members for responding to the task-setting messages;

a central facility distant from the locations of a plurality of the members of said audience;

means at said central facility for comparing with said response criteria a response entered by an audience member, and means at said central facility for scoring a response to output a score based on said scoring basis;

means for providing signals carrying response-criteria to said central facility for evaluating a response of a member of the audience in accordance with said response criteria to identify an acceptable answer, said response criteria including a scoring basis for evaluating acceptable responses to be entered by the audience members;

communication means allowing interaction between an audience member and the central station, said communication means providing for communication of a response from a member of said audience to said central facility for operation of said comparing means and said scoring means upon said response, and said communication means further providing for communicating a result of a scoring of the response to said member of said audience;

means for generating a record including said scoring result on a recording medium, said record generating means providing said record with at least one distinguishing indicium selected from a group of process steps producing discrete dashes, connected dashes, dots, regular shapes, irregular shapes, codes, numbers, letters and symbols, so as to prevent tampering, forging, and counterfeiting; and

wherein at least one of said transmitter means and said providing means provides for modification of their respective signals to alter the acceptability of a response.

233. A method for rewarding responses to task-setting messages transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who have responded to said messages in a manner meeting response criteria, which method comprises the steps of:

transmitting signals from a transmission station to the members of the remote audience, the signals conveying a presentation of messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience;

providing response means to the members of the remote audience;

providing a central response processing facility;

establishing a communications system linking said transmission station with said central response processing facility and with individual ones of said response means, said communication system further linking said central response facility with individual ones of said response means;

providing evaluation means for evaluating a response of a member of the remote audience, said evaluation means comprising a plurality of data processing means including comparing means and at least one processing means from the class of data processing means consisting of scoring means, memory means for storing response results including a score received by an audience member for responding to a task, means for crediting a response in accordance with a difficulty level of a task, means for crediting a responding member with an award having a value, and means for establishing a record of a result of a response to a task by a member of the remote audience;

providing response criteria, and generating an instructional signal which carries the response criteria to said evaluation means, said response criteria including a scoring basis for responses to individual tasks of said task-setting messages to be entered by the members of the remote audience, said instructional signal controlling said evaluation means to provide for a scoring of a response by a member of the remote audience, wherein said instructional signal can be generated to control said evaluation means independently of said step of providing the response criteria;

providing responses to said task-setting messages at the response means by members of said audience;

comparing, by means of said comparing means, individual ones of said responses by a member of said remote audience with a reference response of said response criteria;

scoring, by means of said scoring means, responses in accordance with said scoring basis, said scoring including a scoring of multiple part questions having one or more acceptable answers or a scoring of an individual question having one or more acceptable answers;

crediting a member of said remote audience who has entered a response meeting said response criteria;

locating at least a first one of said data processing means of said evaluation means at said central response processing facility, and at least a second one of said data processing means of said evaluation means at an individual one of said response means of a member of the remote audience; and

allowing communication of data between said first one and said second one of said data processing means via said communication system.

247. A system for rewarding buyers for selecting products intended for purchase by dispensing tokens carrying value consideration upon purchase of said products, the system comprising:

a central display facility for displaying identified products;

a central programmable electronic data storage facility for storing product information displayed by said display facility, and being operable to replace stored product information with updated product information;

at least one television camera in said display facility for use in televising displayed product information by audio and/or visual presentation;

signal transmitting means for transmitting audio and video signals;

means for receiving said signals and presenting said product information at buyers'"'"' remote locations;

entering means at buyers'"'"' remote locations for enabling buyers to select and to request a token carrying value consideration upon purchase of an identified product by selectively entering identified product information in said entering means;

central request receiving means, and request transmitting means for transmitting a buyer'"'"'s request to said central request receiving means;

addressable converters at respective remote locations of individual ones of said buyers;

central instruction means for transmitting, in response to buyers'"'"' requests, instruction signals to said addressable converters, said instructional signals conveying identified product and token information; and

token generators coupled to respective ones of said addressable converters at buyers'"'"' location, said generators being programmable by said instructional signals to provide a token carrying value consideration upon purchase by an individual buyer of an identified product.

261. A method for rewarding buyers for a product selection task by generating tokens carrying value consideration, including discounts and rebates on buyer-selected products offered for sale, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a central facility for the electronic storage of product information which information may be supplied from time to time, said facility including means for receiving and storing a supplier'"'"'s updated product information, such updated product information replacing previously stored information, said information identifying a product or product group;

providing a communications link for transmitting a supplier'"'"'s product information, including updated product information, to said central facility;

at least one supplier of a plurality of products providing product information to said central facility, said product information being updated by a supplier from time to time;

providing a communications link between buyers at their remote locations and said central facility;

providing to buyers at their remote locations means for presenting product information;

electronically transmitting updated product information from said central facility;

receiving and presenting updated product information at a buyer'"'"'s remote location;

providing to buyers at their remote locations means for entering product identification information, including alpha-numeric data, symbolic or pictorial representations of a product or product group;

a buyer entering a request for a token carrying value consideration upon purchase of an identified product or product group item by at least partially entering product identification information;

transmitting a buyer'"'"'s token request to said central facility;

providing means coupled to said central facility for receiving a buyer'"'"'s token request and for transmitting in response instructional signals conveying a buyer'"'"'s token request;

providing at buyer'"'"'s locations token generators, said generators including means for programming the generators by instructional signals transmitted from said central facility in response to a buyer'"'"'s token request;

providing at individual buyers'"'"' locations addressable converters coupled to a buyer'"'"'s token generator, transmitting from a central location coupled to said central facility instructional signals in accordance with a buyer'"'"'s token request;

a buyer'"'"'s addressable converter receiving said instructional signals; and

an individual buyer'"'"'s token generator, in accordance with said instructional signals, generating a token carrying value consideration relative to a product or product group item identified by the buyer.

263. A method for preventing an unacceptable wagering or forging of winning lottery tickets, comprising the steps of:

at identified locations, selecting by players or assigning to players individual lottery numbers;

communicating players'"'"' individual wager information including players'"'"' lottery numbers to a central information storage facility, each number being associated with an identified player location;

accepting or rejecting a player'"'"'s individual wager at said storage facility, in accordance with predetermined wagering criteria, prior to determining a winning lottery number;

storing a player'"'"'s accepted wager information at said storage facility;

determining a winning lottery number at a central location;

comparing said winning number with a player'"'"'s individual lottery number stored in said storage facility; and

identifying a winning player at an identified location.

267. A system for a game playable by a plurality of players at locations remote from a central location wherein, in said game, a record bearing indicia selected by a player matching indicia determined at a central location is deemed to be a winning record, the system comprising means for selecting a remote player'"'"'s individual indicium;

means at said players'"'"' locations for generating a permanent record indicating said individual indicium;

means for transmitting first electronic signals from players'"'"' locations conveying players'"'"' individual indicia to a central data storage facility;

means for storing said players'"'"' indicia at said data storage facility;

means at said central location for determining at least one winning indicium, said determining occurring subsequent to the transmitting of said first electronic signals;

means at a central location for transmitting second electronic signals conveying at least one winning indicium to players'"'"' locations;

means at players'"'"' locations for receiving second electronic signals; and

means at players'"'"' locations for indicating at least one winning indicium on said permanent record; and

wherein a record on which a player'"'"'s and a winning indicia having a determined relationship is deemed to be a winning record.

272. In a lottery system playable by a plurality of players at locations remote from a central location in which a player holding a ticket bearing a number selected by the player matching a winning number is deemed to be a winning player, the system comprising:

ticketing means at said remote locations operable by individual ones of said players for entering and recording on a ticket medium of wager information including a lottery number selected by one of said players;

wherein said ticketing means is operable remotely by instructional electronic signals transmitted from a central facility for a subsequent recording on said ticket medium of at least one winning lottery number determined at a central location;

said system further comprises means at said remote locations connected to said ticketing means and operable by a player for electronically transmitting a player'"'"'s wager information including a selected lottery number to a central data storage means;

a central facility having central data storage means and serving for a storing of a player'"'"'s wager information including at least one selected lottery number;

wherein said central facility includes means for storing wager acceptance criteria determined by an operator of the lottery;

said central facility includes first comparison means for accepting or rejecting individual wagers in accordance with said criteria;

said system further comprises central lottery means for determining at least one winning number, said central data storage means being at a location remote from said central lottery means;

second comparison means at a central facility for comparing a winning number with players'"'"' accepted wager numbers to determine a winning player;

central transmitting means for electronically transmitting a winning number to said players'"'"' remote locations; and

central transmitting means for electronically transmitting instructional signals to said ticketing means at said remote locations for recording a winning number on said ticket medium.

273. In a system for a lottery game playable by a plurality of players at locations remote from a central location, in which game a ticket bearing a number selected by one of said players and matching a number drawn at said central location is deemed to be a winning ticket, the system comprising:

ticketing means at said remote locations and identified with and operable by individual ones of said players for selecting a lottery number, said ticketing means including means for recording a player'"'"'s selected number on a ticket;

central storage means for receiving and storing individually selected lottery numbers, each selected number being associated with an identified player;

means for communicating individual players'"'"' selected numbers to said storage means;

means for inhibiting a storing of further numbers following a predetermined point in time, said point in time having been announced to said players, said inhibiting means being a part of said communicating means or said central storage means;

means at a central location, remote from said central storage means, for determining at least one winning lottery number, said determining taking place subsequent to said point in time;

wherein said communicating means provides for communicating a winning lottery number to said remote locations;

said system further comprises at remote locations means for receiving a winning lottery number, and means for recording said winning number on players'"'"' tickets; and

wherein each ticket bearing a selected number matching a winning number is deemed to be a winning ticket.

274. A system for playing a lottery game comprising a plurality of home subsystems at players'"'"' locations remote from a central location, and a central data processing subsystem having a central data storage at said central location, each of said home subsystems comprising:

an electronics communications receiver;

a response unit operable by a player and having means for entering a selected lottery number and wager information;

wherein said response unit includes means for recording said selected number and wager information on a permanent record and for subsequently recording on said record a winning lottery number in accordance with instructional signals electronically transmitted from a central lottery facility to said receiver;

said response unit includes means operable by a player for electronically communicating a player'"'"'s entered lottery number and wager information to said central data storage;

said central data processing subsystem comprises

means for entering said individual players'"'"' selected lottery numbers and wager information into said central data storage, said entering of said central data storage providing for an entering into said storage of criteria governing acceptance of a player'"'"'s wager wherein said criteria are determined and communicated to said processing system by an operator of said lottery;

comparing means for accepting or rejecting a player'"'"'s wager in accordance with said criteria, said comparing means providing also for comparing a player'"'"'s accepted wager with a winning wager;

wherein said system further comprises a central lottery subsystem comprising

means for determining a winning number; and

means for electronically communicating a winning wager number to players'"'"' response units at remote locations, said electronic communicating means directing individual ones of said response units to record said winning number on said permanent record; and

wherein said system further comprises a facility for honoring a permanent record presented by a player, said record having a selected and a matching winning number recorded thereon, said central data storage being at a location remote from said central lottery subsystem.

276. A method for eliciting responses to messages transmitted from a central station to members of an audience located at stations remote from said central station, said messages including descriptions of items of interest to individual members of the audience for reasons of interest including merchandising and education, the method comprising

transmitting from said central station to said remote stations a listing of items available to the audience;

at each of the remote stations, designating a set of said items which is of interest to a member of the audience, said designating being performed by a member of the audience, said set of items having one or more items of interest to the member of the audience;

subsequent to said designating step, communicating to said remote stations information of each item in a designated set;

at each remote station, establishing reference data for one or more of the items in the designated set of items, said step of establishing being accomplished by a member of the audience;

comparing the information received for each item of a designated set with said reference data for obtaining a match; and

acknowledging items for which a match is obtained.

282. A system for conducting forgery-resistant wagering by players at playing stations, comprising:

a data facility having means for storing wagering data including means for formulating and for storing predetermined wager acceptance or rejection criteria, individual players'"'"' identifications, wagers and a reference element;

communication means linking the playing stations with the data facility for communication of the wagering data, the reference element serving as a basis for judging a winning wager;

wherein the communication means communicates wagering data from respective ones of the playing stations to the data facility, each of said playing stations comprising means for outputting a record of data including a player'"'"'s identification and wager; and

the system further comprises means for authenticating records of the respective playing stations by comparing player'"'"'s data on a record with the player'"'"'s data stored in the data facility, the means for authenticating comparing wagering data on the record to the reference element communicated to the data facility to ascertain if the player'"'"'s wager recorded on the record is a winning wager.

283. A system for conducting forgery resistant wagering by players at playing stations, said wagering meeting predetermined acceptance criteria, the system comprising:

at identified locations, means for providing to players individual lottery numbers, said number-providing means allowing for a selection of lottery numbers by the players or assigning the numbers to the players;

means for communicating players'"'"' individual wager information including players'"'"' lottery numbers to a central information storage facility, each number being associated with an identified player location;

means for filtering a player'"'"'s individual wager at said storage facility, said filtering providing for acceptance or rejection of a player'"'"'s individual wager at said storage facility, in accordance with predetermined wagering criteria, prior to determining a winning lottery number;

means for storing a player'"'"'s accepted wager information at said storage facility;

means for determining a winning lottery number at a central location;

means for comparing said winning number with a player'"'"'s individual lottery number stored in said storage facility; and

means for identifying a winning player at an identified location.

284. A system for attracting shoppers to retail establishments, the system comprising:

a retail establishment offering a plurality of alternate products for sale, said products being placed in or near the retail establishment;

means for storing advertiser-sponsored tokens having monetary value, including coupons or certificates;

means for announcing alternate products for sale;

means for presenting at least one task, including at least one of a question and/or an instruction, to shoppers, wherein each task is accompanied by at least one acceptable response;

means for formulating and storing acceptable responses;

response-entering means for enabling a shopper to enter a response;

means for comparing a shopper'"'"'s entered response with an acceptable response to determine a winning shopper having entered an acceptable response;

means for entering a product selection by a shopper; and

means for dispensing to a winning shopper a token having value upon the winning shopper having purchased a selected product, and upon the shopper'"'"'s presentation of said token.

290. A method for broadcasting a program signal conveying a program from a central station to a plurality of receiving stations at sites remote from said central station, and for responding to said program signal by respondents at said receiving stations, said central station including a studio with presentation of said program to a group or groups of contestants, said program including a scenario with a task requiring a response by each contestant of said group or groups of contestants, the method comprising steps of:

presenting said program to said contestants;

presenting said program to said respondents;

predicting or selecting, by individual ones of said respondents, a winning one of said contestants who is to provide an acceptable response to said task, said predicting or selecting step to be performed within a predetermined interval of time;

individual ones of said respondents predicting or selecting at least one winning contestant of said contestants;

subsequent to said interval of time, allowing said contestants to provide responses to said task;

evaluating responses of said contestants to determine a winning contestant;

evaluating predictions or selections of said predicting or selecting step to determine an acceptable prediction or selection by an individual one of said respondents; and

identifying a winning one of said respondents who has correctly predicted or selected the identity of a winning contestant.

320. A method for broadcasting a program signal conveying a program from a central station to a facility proximate to said central station, or linked to said central station by audio and/or visual communication means, and for responding to said program signal by respondents at said facility, said central station including a studio with presentation of said program to a group or groups of contestants, said program including a scenario with a task requiring a response by at least one contestant of said group or groups of contestants, the method comprising steps of:

presenting said program to said contestants;

presenting said program to said respondents;

predicting or selecting, by individual ones of said respondents, a winning one of said contestants who is to provide an acceptable response to said task, said predicting or selecting step to be performed within a predetermined interval of time;

individual ones of said respondents predicting or selecting at least one winning contestant of said contestants;

subsequent to said interval of time, allowing said contestants to provide responses to said task;

evaluating responses of said contestants to determine a winning contestant or contestants;

evaluating predictions or selections of said predicting or selecting step to determine an acceptable prediction or selection by an individual one of said respondents; and

identifying a winning one of said respondents who has correctly predicted or selected the identity of a winning contestant or contestants.

321. In a system for conducting a wagering comprising players'"'"' playing stations for entering a wager, wager communicating means connected to a wager data storage facility, a winning wager reference element, means for comparing a player'"'"'s wager with a winning wager reference element to determine a player'"'"'s winning wager and winning players'"'"' wager authenticating means, the system further comprising:

at least one monitoring or checking means selected from the group comprising;

means for comparing an individual player'"'"'s wager with the player'"'"'s recorded credit limit,

means for tallying a player'"'"'s wagers,

means for monitoring the movement of funds into or out of a player'"'"'s account,

means for identifying individual players through a player'"'"'s telephone number identification and/or a player'"'"'s internet website,

means for identifying individual players through a player'"'"'s PIN number,

means for identifying individual players through a player'"'"'s registered wager entry means,

means for identifying individual players through a player'"'"'s wagering ticket; and

at least one control means selected from the group comprising;

means for fixing players'"'"' wagering limits,

means for requiring players to communicate financial or wager-related information to a designated location, the system further comprising

means for preventing a player'"'"'s wager.

322. A system according to claim 321 further comprising means for blocking the movement of funds of a player'"'"'s account.

323. A system according to claim 322 further comprising means for canceling a player'"'"'s wager.

324. A system according to claim 321 further comprising means for canceling a player'"'"'s wager.

325. In a method for conducting a wagering, including a lottery and betting on the outcome of an event by players at individual playing stations, said wagering, comprising the steps of:

entering a wager by a player at a playing station,

communicating a players'"'"' wager information to and storing it at a forgery resistant data storage facility, said event taking place and its outcome becoming known,

comparing a player'"'"'s wager with the outcome of said event to determine a winning player and authenticating a player'"'"'s winning wager , the method further comprising;

at least one monitoring or checking step selected from the group of steps comprising;

comparing an individual player'"'"'s wager with the player'"'"'s recorded credit limit,

tallying a player'"'"'s wagers,

monitoring the movement of funds into or out of a player'"'"'s account,

identifying individual players through a player'"'"'s telephone number identification and/or a player'"'"'s internet website,

identifying individual players through a player'"'"'s PIN number,

identifying the individual players through a player'"'"'s registered wager entry means, and identifying individual players through a player'"'"'s wagering ticket; and

at least one control step selected from the group of steps comprising ;

fixing players'"'"' wagering limits,

requiring players to communicate financial or wager-related information to a designated location, the system further comprising

preventing a player'"'"'s wager.

326. The method of claim 325, further comprising a step of blocking the movement of funds through a player'"'"'s account.

327. The method of claim 326, further comprising a step of canceling a player'"'"'s wager.

328. The method of claim 325, further comprising a step of canceling a player'"'"'s wager.

329. The method of claim 325, wherein said monitoring or checking step is applied to a group of players to determine a group wagering pattern.

330. The method of claim 325, wherein said data storage facility is physically and electronically inaccessible to employees or agents of operators of the wagering system.

331. The method of claim 325, wherein said designated location is a data storage facility, which is physically and electronically inaccessible to employees and agents of providers of the wagering system, or maintainers of the wagering system.

332. A method of monitoring wagering among numerous players placing wagers, the method comprising steps of:

establishing financial accounts for respective ones of the players;

passing wager monies of the players through respective ones of the financial accounts;

identifying each of the players with an identifying descriptor;

individual ones of the players placing wagers by using monies stored in respective ones of the financial accounts;

storing credit evaluation data of respective ones of the players in a central data storage facility;

observing flows of monies into or out of respective ones of the financial accounts to establish wagering patterns among the players;

employing the credit evaluation data and the wagering patterns for respective ones of the players identified by their respective descriptors to determine acceptable wagering criteria for each of the players; and

terminating a player'"'"'s or a group of players'"'"' wagering for any one of the players or the group of players placing a bet failing to meet the wagering criteria.

333. A method according to claim 332 wherein the descriptor is a PIN number.