System and method for providing products to game players

• US 20040204247A1
• Filed: 04/12/2004
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Daniel E., Tulley, Stephen C., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Tedesco, Robert C., Walker, Jay S., Suarez, Jose A., Heinemann, Kurt H.
• Application Number:
  US10/822,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204247A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• 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 13/61 using advertising information
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/57 details of game services offered to the player
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

According to some embodiments of the present invention a system and method are provided for enabling a player to receive at least one entitlement to a product or service. The method may include receiving information about at least one merchant, enabling play of a game by a player, determining merchant information to communicate to the player, and providing at least one entitlement to the player. In some embodiments, one or more steps may be based on the player'"'"'s play of the game.

Claims

1. A game system for providing a local edition of an online game, the game system comprising:

a game device;

a game server in communication with the game device, the game server comprising;

a processor, and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor for;

receiving from the game device an indication of a geographic location;

determining game content based on the geographic location;

transmitting the game content to the game device; and

determining at least one product guarantee to offer a player based on the geographic location.

2. The game system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second storage device in communication with the game server, the second storage device storing data that identifies a plurality of prize sponsors,

in which each prize sponsor of the plurality of prize sponsors is associated with respective geographic data, and

in which each prize sponsor of the plurality of prize sponsors is associated with at least one respective product guarantee.

3. The game system of claim 1, in which determining the at least one product guarantee to offer the player comprises:

identifying a local prize sponsor from the plurality of prize sponsors based on the geographic location and the respective geographic data associated with each prize sponsor; and

determining a product guarantee to offer the player,

in which the product guarantee is associated with the local prize sponsor.

4. A method comprising:

determining geographic data that is associated with a user;

determining at least one game element based on the geographic data;

initiating a game for the user, the game including the at least one game element;

determining a price level of the user;

determining whether to provide at least one product guarantee to the user based on the price level; and

providing the user with at least one product guarantee.

5. The method of claim 4, in which determining the price level of the user comprises:

increasing the price level based on play of the game by the user.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying an indication of the price level to the user.

7. The method of claim 4, in which displaying the indication of the price level comprises:

displaying the price level using a price meter.

8. The method of claim 4, in which the price level comprises a credit amount.

9. The method of claim 4, in which the price level comprises a price.

10. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a purchase amount for the at least one product guarantee; and

receiving the purchase amount from the user.

11. The method of claim 10, in which determining the purchase amount comprises:

determining the purchase amount based on the price level.

12. The method of claim 10, in which determining the purchase amount comprises:

determining a target price; and

subtracting the price level from the target price to determine the purchase amount.

13. The method of claim 4, in which the at least one game element comprises at least one of:

an indication of a merchant,

a representation of a product,

a price of a product,

a question about a price of a product, and

an indication of a location of the user.

14. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a plurality of offers based on the geographic data.

15. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting respective indications of a plurality of products to the user.

16. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying a showcase of products to the user.

17. The method of claim 4, in which determining whether to provide at least one product guarantee to the user comprises:

determining, based on the price level, how many product guarantees the user is eligible to receive.

18. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a payment from the user in exchange for the at least one product guarantee.

19. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining an amount to charge the user for the at least one product guarantee.

20. A method comprising:

determining geographic data that is associated with a player;

determining a plurality of product guarantees based on the geographic data;

initiating a game;

determining a price level of the player in the game;

determining, based on the price level, whether to allow the player to select at least one product guarantee from the plurality of product guarantees; and

receiving an indication of a selection by the player of at least one product guarantee.

21. A method comprising:

determining location data that is associated with a customer;

initiating a game based on the location data;

determining that the customer is eligible to receive at least one product guarantee based on play of the game by the customer;

determining whether the customer accepts at least one product guarantee; and

if the customer accepts at least one product guarantee,

transmitting redemption information to the customer, the redemption information including an indication of the at least one product guarantee.

22. The method of claim 21, in which the redemption information comprises information about a printable certificate.

23. The method of claim 21, in which the redemption information comprises a prize code.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

storing an indication of distribution of the at least one product guarantee to the customer.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a request from a merchant to validate a product guarantee.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

determining whether the product guarantee is valid.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

transmitting to the merchant a signal that indicates whether the product guarantee is valid.