System and method for internet advertising through on-line games

• US 20040186771A1
• Filed: 11/20/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stuart Squires
• Original Assignee: Stuart Squires
• Inventors: Squires, Stuart
• Application Number:
  US10/478,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20040186771A1
• 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 30/0218 based on score
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method for Internet advertising through the use of an Internet based triva game.

Claims

1. An Internet game-based advertising system comprising a real-time trivia game in which at least one sponsor pays to provide questions about its products and/or services for use in said trivia game and wherein a plurality of users use a plurality of remote game terminals to compete simultaneously in said trivia game to win prizes by answering a plurality of said questions using information about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services obtained prior to commencement of said trivia game using a list of game sponsors provided a pre-determined time before said commencement.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said real-time trivia game is played through, and controlled by, a central server.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said information is obtained from said sponsor'"'"'s web site.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said information is obtained from advertisements.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said advertisements are accessed through said central server.

6. A method of controlling an Internet-based trivia game comprising:

designating at least one sponsor of said game;

authorizing a plurality of users to participate in said game;

prior to commencement of said game, identifying said sponsor to said users and enabling said users to link to information about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services;

at the commencement of said game, communicating to said users questions based on said information;

designating among said users a winner of said game based on the correctness of, and the time to provide, the answers provided by each of the users.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said game is played simultaneously by said users in real-time, and said commencement of said game being at a designated start time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein there is a pre-determined interval between the steps of identifying said sponsor to said users and the commencement of said game

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said information is located on said sponsor'"'"'s web site.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said information is located in advertisements.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said users are authorized to participate in said game based on demographic and/or geographic information.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said link to said sponsor'"'"'s web site is a referring uniform resource locator.

13. A method of hosting an Internet game-based advertising system in which a central server hosts a trivia game where at least one sponsor pays to provide questions about said sponsors products and/or services for use in said trivia game and wherein a plurality of users use a plurality of remote game terminals to compete simultaneously in said trivia game to win prizes by answering a plurality of said questions using information about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services obtained prior to commencement of said trivia game, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a communication from said sponsor;

uniquely identifying said sponsor;

collecting and storing information about said sponsor;

allowing said sponsor to sponsor a game upon payment of an entry fee by the sponsor;

accepting from said sponsor questions and answers relating to said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services for use in said trivia game;

receiving a communication from each of said users;

uniquely identifying each of said users;

collecting and storing information about each of said users;

allowing said users to participate in said trivia game;

prior to said trivia game, identifying said sponsor to said users and enabling said users to link it information about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services;

at the commencement of said game, communicating to said users questions based on said information about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services;

designating a winner of said game based on the correctness of and the time to provide, the answers provided by the users.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said game is played simultaneously by said users in real-time, and said commencement of said game being at a designated time.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein there is a pre-determined interval between the steps of identifying said sponsor to said users and the commencement of said game.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said information about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services is located on said sponsor'"'"'s web site.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said information about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services is located in advertisements.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said information about said users includes either demographic or geographic information about said users, or both.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said users are allowed to participate in said trivia game based on either demographic or geographic information, or both.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said link to said sponsor'"'"'s web site is a referring uniform resource locator.

21. A method of sponsoring an Internet game-based advertising system in which a central server hosts a trivia game where at least one sponsor pays to provide questions about its products and/or services for use in said trivia game and wherein a plurality of users use a plurality of remote game terminals to compete simultaneously in said trivia game to win prizes by answering a plurality of said questions using information about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services obtained prior to commencement of said trivia game, the method comprising the steps of:

communicating with said central server by way of a sponsor terminal;

selecting a unique sponsor id and password;

selecting a trivia game to sponsor;

paying an entry fee;

providing said central server with information relating to said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services for use in said trivia game.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said information relating to said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services includes questions and answers based on said products and/or services.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein information about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services is located on said sponsor'"'"'s web site.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said information also includes advertising information about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said sponsor provides information enabling a link to be established from said central server to said sponsor'"'"'s web site.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein prior to commencement of said trivia game, said users link to said sponsor'"'"'s web site.

27. A method of participating in an Internet game-based advertising system in which a central server hosts a trivia game where at least one sponsor pays to provide questions about its products and/or services for use in said trivia game and wherein a plurality of users use a plurality of remote game terminals to compete simultaneously in said trivia game to win prizes by answering a plurality of said questions using information obtained about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services prior to commencement of said trivia game, the method comprising the steps of:

communicating with said central server;

selecting a unique user id and password;

providing information about said user to said central server;

selecting a trivia game in which to participate;

prior to commencement of said trivia game, receiving an identification of a list of sponsors of a game and of means of linking to information about said sponsors'"'"' products and/or services;

researching said sponsors'"'"' products and/or services by linking to said information;

at a pre-determined time for the commencement of said game, receiving an identification of questions based on the products and/or services of said sponsors,

responding to said questions;

after the completion of said game receiving an identification of the winner of said game.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said game is played simultaneously by said users in real-time, and said commencement of said game being at a designated start time.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein there is a pre-determined interval between the steps of said sponsors being identified and the commencement of said game.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said information about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services is located on said sponsor'"'"'s web site and/or is located in advertisements.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said information about said users includes either demographic or geographic information about said users, or both.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said users are allowed to participate in said trivia game based on either demographic or geographic information, or both.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein said means of linking to said sponsor'"'"'s web site is a referring uniform resource locator.

34. A central server configured as a host for an Internet trivia game in which said game comprises questions regarding the products and/or services of at least one game sponsor and in which a plurality of users compete simultaneously in order to win prizes by answering said questions using information obtained about said sponsor'"'"'s products and/or services prior to commencement of said game using a list of game sponsors provided a pre-determined time before said commencement.

35. A central server of claim 34, wherein said information is located on said sponsor'"'"'s web site.

36. A central server of claim 35, wherein said users are enabled to link from said central server to said sponsor'"'"'s web site.

37. A central server of claim 36, wherein said link is achieved by using referring uniform resource locator information regarding said sponsor'"'"'s web site.

39. A sponsor terminal configured so that a sponsor'"'"'s web site is linked to the central server of claim 36.

38. A game terminal configured to play an Internet trivia game in which said game comprises questions regarding the products and/or services of sponsors of said game and in which users compete simultaneously in real-time in order to win prizes by answering said questions using information about said sponsors'"'"' products and/or services obtained prior to commencement of said game using a list of game sponsors provided a pre-determined time before said commencement.