Promotional campaign award validation methods through a distributed computer network

• US 20040133472A1
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Taheen Foundation LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Scott L., Leason, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0645 Electric lottos or bingo games
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0213 Consumer transaction fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

Code processing for promotional games and the like. In a preferred application, a lottery ticket holder who has purchased a lottery ticket is encouraged to access a designated Internet site by rewarding access thereat on the condition that information visibly supported on the lottery ticket from a given drawing is input at an Internet site and a test indicates that the information so-input matches lottery numbers that were picked for that drawing. Access to predetermined Internet-based services or sites can also be had as an award to an individual for inputting an iconic code at a machine connected to the Internet if the input code tests as valid, with the code being marked so as to be usable only once. Preferably, the iconic code is input by click-selecting displayed icons one after another in an order that corresponds to that of a code provided to the individual. POS methods for code processing are also described.

Claims

1. A method for providing awards in the form of access to one or more predetermined Internet-based services or sites for which access is otherwise restricted, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a code to an individual at a store, the code comprising a set of icons;

b) presenting icons on a display of a machine connected to an Internet site to the individual including at least each icon in the set of icons;

c) click-selecting one presented icon after another in an order that corresponds to that of the provided code, so as to input the code to the Internet site;

d) testing the input code to see if it is valid;

e) providing access to at least one of said predetermined Internet-based services or sites in response to inputting a valid code; and

f) marking the code in response to the providing step,

whereby the code is useable only once to provide access to said predetermined Internet-based services or sites.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the code is provided on one of a game card, a receipt, a sticker, a label, a bottle cap, blow-in card, free-standing insert, direct mail, and product packaging.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the code provided to the individual is on a game card that further includes one or more instant rewards, the method including the additional step of providing instant redemption of the reward at the store.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein the code is provided on one of a game card, a receipt, a sticker, a label, a bottle cap, blow-in card, free-standing insert, direct mail, and product packaging.

5. A method for encouraging a lottery ticket holder who has purchased a lottery ticket to access a designated Internet site, comprising the steps of:

a) inputting at an Internet site information visibly supported on the lottery ticket of a given drawing to register the lottery ticket;

b) testing the input information to determine if it matches lottery numbers that were picked for the given drawing; and

c) providing the lottery ticket holder with access to the designated Internet site on the condition that the test indicates that the information visibly supported on the lottery ticket satisfied the test.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein the information is a set of numbers printed on the lottery ticket.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein the lottery ticket includes picked numbers and wherein the set of numbers comprises at least a portion of the picked numbers.

8. The method as in claim 7, wherein the lottery ticket further includes a scratch-off type instant win game, the method including the additional step of selectively providing the lottery ticket holder with an award in response to play of the scratch-off game.

9. The method as in claim 8, wherein the lottery ticket includes a URL of the designated Internet site, the method including the additional step of informing the lottery ticket holder of the address of the designated Internet site.

10. The method as in claim 5, including the additional steps of:

d) conducting a second lottery drawing;

e) selecting as a winner of the second lottery drawing one lottery ticket having information that was registered at the designated Internet site; and

f) awarding a prize to the lottery ticket holder possessing the lottery ticket,

whereby only lottery ticket holders that have registered information at the designated Internet site are eligible to be selected for the prize.

11. The method as in claim 10, including the additional steps of providing the prize at a store and assessing a fee to the store for driving the lottery ticket holder to the store.

12. The method as in claim 5, including the additional step of tracing the location where the lottery ticket was purchased, and wherein the providing step further provides one of discounts and gifts to the lottery ticket holder for visiting stores that are geographically close to where the lottery ticket was purchased.

13. The method as in claim 5, including the additional steps of:

presenting the lottery ticket holder with a selection of participating stores;

recording any store selections made by the lottery ticket holder; and

charging a fee to at least one of the selected stores for its selection by the lottery ticket holder.

14. The method as in claim 5, wherein the providing step includes presenting the lottery ticket holder with a selection of participating stores, wherein said access to the designated Internet site comprises a link to the Web site of a participating store presented for selection, and wherein a fee is assessed if the lottery ticket holder links to said Web site.

15. A method for processing a validation code received at a point of sale (POS) machine during a purchase transaction to determine if the validation code was previously registered through an Internet site, comprising the steps of:

a) registering the validation code through the Internet site;

b) receiving the validation code from the customer at the POS machine;

c) testing whether the validation code has been registered through the Internet site in response to the receiving step;

d) in the event that the test is satisfied, generating a discount signal which awards the customer a discount; and

e) discounting the purchase transaction in the amount of the awarded discount.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein the step of receiving the validation code comprises scanning the validation code using a device associated with the POS machine.

17. The method as in claim 15, wherein the code obtained from the individual at the Internet site is distributed to the individual in a printed form.

18. The method as in claim 15, wherein the code obtained from the individual at the Internet site is distributed to the individual in an electronic form.

19. The method as in claim 15, wherein the code obtained from the individual and received from the individual originates with the individual.