METHOD AND SYSTEM TO INCORPORATE GAME PLAY INTO PRODUCT TRANSACTIONS

• US 20080249879A1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew P. Golden, Jay S. Walker, Keith Bemer, Magdalena M. Fincham, Nandu A. Talwalkar, Timothy A. Palmer
• Original Assignee: Andrew P. Golden, Jay S. Walker, Keith Bemer, Magdalena M. Fincham, Nandu A. Talwalkar, Timothy A. Palmer
• Inventors: Palmer, Timothy A., Golden, Andrew P., Fincham, Magdalena M., Bemer, Keith, Walker, Jay S., Talwalkar, Nandu A.
• Application Number:
  US12/123,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20080249879A1
• 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 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0219 based on funds or budget
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A method for providing a product is described in which a selection of a product is received from a customer, a game is selected by the customer, the customer provides his credit card number, the customer plays the game and an outcome is determined. If the customer wins, the credit card is charged a game fee, if the customer loses, the credit card is charged the price of the product. In either case, the product is then provided to the customer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

adjusting prices of a plurality of products;

receiving a payment from a customer for at least one of the products;

generating at least one outcome of a game in response to receiving the payment for the product; and

awarding an amount to the customer if the outcome of the game is a winning outcome, wherein the amount is based on the adjusted price of the product, and wherein the amount is funded from revenue resulting from the adjusted prices.

2. The method of claim 1, in which adjusting prices of a plurality of products comprises adjusting prices to a degree that a price increase will result in sufficient revenue to fund a desired rate of winning outcomes.

3. The method of claim 1, in which generating an outcome comprises generating outcomes with a predetermined frequency of winning outcomes.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the desired frequency of winning outcomes comprises a number of winning outcomes that permits customers to witness at least one winning outcome during the customers'"'"' own transaction.

5. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to:

adjust prices of a plurality of products;

receive an indication of a payment from a customer for at least one of the products;

generate at least one outcome of a game in response to receiving the payment for the product; and

award an amount to the customer if the outcome of the game is a winning outcome, wherein the amount is based on the adjusted price of the product, and wherein the amount is funded from revenue resulting from the adjusted prices.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 5, in which the instructions for adjusting prices of the plurality of products comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to adjust prices to a degree that a price increase will result in sufficient revenue to fund a desired rate of winning outcomes.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 5, in which the instructions for generating an outcome comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to generate outcomes with a predetermined frequency of winning outcomes.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, in which the instructions for generating outcomes with a predetermined frequency comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to generate winning outcomes such that customers witness at least one winning outcome during the customers'"'"' own transaction.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions are configured to direct the processor to;

adjust prices of a plurality of products;

receive an indication of a payment from a customer for at least one of the products;

generate at least one outcome of a game in response to receiving the payment for the product; and

award an amount to the customer if the outcome of the game is a winning outcome, wherein the amount is based on the adjusted price of the product, and wherein the amount is funded from revenue resulting from the adjusted prices.