Revenue generating system and associated methods

• US 20060246967A1
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Debra R. Hatch, Kenneth R. Thompson
• Original Assignee: Debra R. Hatch, Kenneth R. Thompson
• Inventors: Hatch, Debra R., Thompson, Kenneth R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,722,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system for generating revenue includes a fee collection station. The fee collection station may include a controller and a fee receiver in communication with the controller for receiving a predetermined fee from a plurality of users. The fee receiver may also receive a predetermined participation fee from the plurality of users that selectively participate in a game. The fee collection station may also comprise an indicator in communication with the controller and adjacent to the fee receiver for indicating to participating users one of a winning indication or a losing indication. The participating users that receive the winning indication may receive a predetermined reward.

Claims

1. A system for generating revenue comprising:

at least one fee collection station comprising

a controller

a fee receiver in communication with said controller for receiving a predetermined fee from a plurality of users, and for receiving a predetermined participation fee from the plurality of users that selectively participate in a game, the plurality of users selectively participating in the game being defined as participating users, and

an indicator in communication with said controller and adjacent to said fee receiver for indicating to the participating users at least one of a winning indication or a loosing indication, the participating users receiving the winning indication being defined as winning users, each one of the winning users receiving a predetermined reward.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one fee collection station is at least one tollbooth.

3. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a game processor in communication with the controller and the indicator and adjacent to said at least one fee collection station.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein said game processor comprises an identification assignment device for assigning at least one identifier selected from a plurality of identifiers to each participating user.

5. A system according to claim 4 wherein said game processor further comprises an identification selector in communication with said identification assignment device for selecting one of the plurality of identifiers to be defined as a winning identifier, said indicator providing the winning indication responsive to selection of the winning identifier by said identification selector.

6. A system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one reward payment station adjacent to and spaced-apart from said at least one fee collection station.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein said at least one reward payment station comprises a reward dispenser for dispensing the predetermined reward to each one of the winning users.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein each winning user is provided a winning code;

and wherein said reward dispenser includes a housing, a reward dispenser controller carried by said housing, a user interface carried by said housing and in communication with the reward dispenser controller, and a winning code database in communication with the reward dispenser controller and including a plurality of winning codes so that the predetermined reward is dispensed to the winning user when the winning user inputs the winning code, and the winning code is verified as one of the plurality of winning codes in the winning code database.

9. A system according to claim 6 wherein said at least one reward payment station comprises a reward payment administrator to dispense the predetermined reward.

10. A system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one antenna in communication with said controller for receiving a predetermined signal from a transponder carried by a vehicle.

11. A system according to claim 10 wherein the transponder is a prepaid transponder in communication with a respective payment account of one of the respective participating users;

and wherein the predetermined fee and the predetermined participation fee is debited from the respective payment account; and

wherein the respective predetermined reward is credited to the respective payment account.

12. A system according to claim 1 further comprising an identification device adjacent said at least one fee collection station and in communication with said controller for identifying each of the winning users, said controller being in communication with an identification database having an address for each of the winning users so that the predetermined reward may be mailed to each of the winning users.

13. A system for generating revenue comprising:

at least one fee collection station comprising a controller, a fee receiver in communication with the controller for receiving a predetermined participation fee from a plurality of participating users that selectively participate in a game, and an indicator in communication with the controller and adjacent to the fee receiver for indicating to the participating users at least one of a winning indication or a losing indication, the participating users receiving the winning indication being defined as winning users, each one of the winning users receiving a predetermined reward;

a game processor in communication with the indicator and the controller and adjacent to said at least one fee collection station; and

at least one reward payment station adjacent to and spaced-apart from said at least one fee collection station.

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein said at least one fee collection station is at least one tollbooth.

15. A system according to claim 13 wherein said game processor comprises an identification assignment device for assigning at least one identifier selected from a plurality of identifiers to each participating user.

16. A system according to claim 15 wherein said game processor further comprises an identification selector in communication with said identification assignment device for selecting one of the plurality of identifiers being defined as a winning identifier, said indicator providing the winning indication responsive to selection of the winning identifier by said identification selector.

17. A system according to claim 13 wherein said at least one reward payment station comprises a reward dispenser for dispensing the predetermined reward to each one of the winning users.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein each winning user is provided a winning code;

and wherein said reward dispenser includes a housing, a reward dispenser controller carried by said housing, a user interface carried by said housing and in communication with the reward dispenser controller, and a winning code database in communication with the reward dispenser controller and including a plurality of winning codes so that the predetermined reward is dispensed to the winning user when the winning user inputs the winning code, and the winning code is verified as one of the plurality of winning codes in the winning code database.

19. A system according to claim 13 wherein said at least one reward payment station comprises a reward payment administrator to dispense the predetermined reward.

20. A system for generating revenue comprising:

at least one fee collection station comprising a controller, a fee receiver in communication with the controller for receiving a predetermined participation fee from a plurality of participating users that selectively participate in a game, and an indicator in communication with the controller and adjacent to the fee receiver for indicating to the participating users at least one of a winning indication or a losing indication, the participating users receiving the winning indication being defined as winning users, each one of the winning users receiving a predetermined reward;

a game processor in communication with the indicator and the controller and adjacent to said at least one fee collection station; and

at least one antenna in communication with the controller for receiving a predetermined signal from a transponder carried by a vehicle.

21. A system according to claim 20 wherein said at least one fee collection station is at least one tollbooth.

22. A system according to claim 20 wherein said game processor comprises an identification assignment device for assigning at least one identifier selected from a plurality of identifiers to each participating user.

23. A system according to claim 22 wherein said game processor further comprises an identification selector in communication with said identification assignment device for selecting one of the plurality of identifiers being defined as a winning identifier, the indicator providing the winning indication responsive to selection of the winning identifier by said identification selector.

24. A system according to claim 20 wherein the transponder is a prepaid transponder in communication with a respective payment account of one of the respective participating users;

and wherein the predetermined fee and the predetermined participation fee is debited from the respective payment account; and

wherein the respective predetermined reward is credited to the respective payment account.

25. A method for generating revenue comprising:

collecting a predetermined participation fee at a fee collection station from a plurality of participating users to allow the plurality of participating users to selectively participate in a game;

indicating to the plurality of participating users at least one of a winning indication or a losing indication, the participating users that receive the winning indication being defined as winning users; and

distributing a predetermined reward to each of the winning users.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the fee collection station is a tollbooth.

27. A method according to claim 25 wherein distributing the predetermined reward comprises distributing the predetermined reward at a reward payment station adjacent to and spaced-apart from the fee collection station.

28. A method according to claim 27 further comprising providing a winning code to each one of the winning users;

and wherein the reward payment station comprises a reward dispenser including a user interface, and a winning code database including a plurality of winning codes in communication therewith so that the predetermined reward is dispensed to the winning user when the winning user inputs the winning code, and the winning code is verified as one of the plurality of winning codes in the winning code database

29. A method according to claim 27 wherein the reward payment station comprises a reward payment administrator that dispenses the predetermined reward.

30. A method according to claim 25 further comprising identifying each of the winning users, and communicating with an identification database having an address for each of the winning users so that the predetermined reward may be mailed to each of the winning users.