Integrated network entry system

• US 20040143493A1
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AG Interactive Incorporated (American Greetings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AG Interactive Incorporated (American Greetings Corporation)
• Inventors: Scott, Jerry, Weissbluth, Jed, Farro, Michael, Maday, Matthew, Kohlfeld, Damian, Gessner, Jason
• Application Number:
  US10/348,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20040143493A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards

Abstract

A method and apparatus for operating a sweepstakes includes an online component permitting entry into the sweepstakes by a user via an Internet connection to a World Wide Web site. A telephone component is also provided that receives telephone calls from participants and via an interactive voice response system permits the participants to enter the sweepstakes. As a condition of entry, the participants via either component are requested to provide information, which is stored and combined to provide a database of information on the participants of both the online component and the telephone component. Registration, including warranty registration, may also be provided using the integrated network system.

Claims

1. A network integrated sweepstakes method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a sweepstakes entry at an Internet site from an online user, including;

posing questions to the online user regarding identification and demographic information via text at an Internet site;

storing answers as text input by the online user to the questions at least with respect to the demographic information from the online user;

accepting a sweepstakes entry code from the online user;

determining a winning/losing status of the entry code received from the online user;

reporting the winning/losing status to the online user;

receiving a sweepstakes entry via voice signal or via the manual entry of digits over a telephone connection from a telephone user, including;

posing questions to a telephone user regarding identification and demographic information using voice generation;

receiving answers to the questions as voice signals or manually entered digital signals from the alphanumeric entry pad from the telephone user;

converting the telephone user'"'"'s answers to text or to another suitable digital format;

storing answers to the questions as text or in another suitable digital format at least with respect to the demographic information from the telephone user;

accepting a sweepstakes entry code from the telephone user;

determining a winning/losing status of the entry code received from the telephone user;

reporting the winning/losing status to the telephone user;

combining data from the telephone user with data from the telephone user into a single database.

2. A network integrated sweepstakes method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

storing voice data from at least a winning telephone user as a waveform file.

3. A network integrated sweepstakes method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of combining data of a telephone user and of an online user is performed as the data is received from the respective users.

4. A network integrated sweepstakes method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of combining data of a telephone user and of an online user is performed at completion of a sweepstakes.

5. A network integrated sweepstakes apparatus, comprising:

a telephone answering apparatus connected to a public switched telephone system;

an interactive voice response system connected to said telephone answering apparatus and operable to pose questions to a telephone user and to convert voice answers or manually entered digits to text data;

a telephone data storage connected to said interactive voice recognition system for storing said text data from the telephone user;

a server connected to the Internet, said server having pages posing questions and accepting answers at text input by an telephone user; and

a telephone data storage connected to said server for storing text input from the telephone user.

6. A network integrated sweepstakes apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a voice and data interface connected between said interactive voice response system and the telephone network and connected between said server and the Internet.

7. A network integrated sweepstakes apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said telephone data storage and said online data storage are the same.

8. A network integrated registration apparatus, comprising:

telephone answering apparatus connected to a public switched telephone system;

an interactive voice response system connected to said telephone answering apparatus and operable to pose questions to a telephone user and to convert voice answers or manually entered digits to text data;

a telephone data storage connected to said interactive voice recognition system for storing said text data from the telephone user;

a server connected to the Internet, said server having pages posing questions and accepting answers at text input by an telephone user; and

a telephone data storage connected to said server for storing text input from the telephone user.

9. A network integrated method for registration, comprising the steps of:

receiving a registration entry at an Internet site from an online user, including;

posing questions to the online user regarding identification and demographic information via text at an Internet site;

storing answers as text input by the online user to the questions at least with respect to the demographic information from the online user;

accepting a registration entry code from the online user;

receiving a registration entry via voice signal or via the manual entry of digits over a telephone connection from a telephone user, including;

posing questions to a telephone user regarding identification and demographic information using voice generation;

receiving answers to the questions as voice signals or manually entered digital signals from the alphanumeric entry pad from the telephone user;

converting the telephone user'"'"'s answers to text or to another suitable digital format;

storing answers to the questions as text or in another suitable digital format at least with respect to the demographic information from the telephone user;

accepting a registration entry code from the telephone user;

combining data from the telephone user with data from the telephone user into a single database.