Method and apparatus for the rewarding of the interest of a user in an activity

• US 20090011819A9
• Filed: 06/17/2003
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DEQ Systems Corporation (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DEQ Systems Corporation (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gagnon, Martin, Berube, Real, Huard, Marcel
• Application Number:
  US10/462,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20040259630A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method and system for rewarding a user'"'"'s interest in an activity is provided. It comprises identifying a location for the user; determining a period of time during which the user is to maintain interest in the activity; monitoring an interest of the user in the activity for the period of time, at the location; deciding if a prize should be awarded to the user if the user has maintained an interest for the period of time, at the location; and choosing and awarding the prize to the user if the decision is positive; whereby the user can be rewarded for having maintain his interest in the activity.

Claims

1. A system for rewarding a user'"'"'s interest in an activity, comprising:

a locator for identifying a location for said user;

a timer for determining a period of time during which said user is to maintain interest in said activity;

an activity monitor, communicating with said locator and said timer, for monitoring an interest of said user in said activity for said period of time, at said location;

a selector for deciding if a prize should be awarded to said user if said activity monitor indicates that said user has maintained an interest for said period of time, at said location; and

a prize distributor for choosing and awarding said prize to said user if said decision is positive;

whereby said user can be rewarded for having maintain his interest in said activity.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user is a player of a game.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said activity is playing in a principal casino table game.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said location is a seat at a casino table of a casino wherein said principal casino table game is played.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said period of time is ten minutes.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a control console to provide information concerning said user to at least one of said locator, said timer and said activity monitor.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locator is a sensor detecting a presence of said user at said location and emitting a signal having an identification code for said location and wherein said activity monitor receives said signal.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said timer comprises a generator for randomly generating a period of time for said monitoring.

9. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said console comprises a keypad for letting an administrator enter a code to provide said information.

10. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said activity monitor comprises a bet sensor for sensing if said user has placed a bet on said game.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said prize distributor comprises a prize list from which a prize is chosen and awarded to said user.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said prize distributor uses an indication of said period of time to choose said prize.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said prize distributor comprises an electronic bank, wherein said prize is a credit amount and wherein said electronic bank is credited by said credit amount if said prize is awarded.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a jackpot accumulator for accumulating a jackpot amount available to be chosen as a prize by said prize distributor.

15. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a participation acceptor for recording a participation of said user in said monitoring.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said participation acceptor comprises a credit acceptor for receiving an amount of credits required to participate in said monitoring.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said credit acceptor is an electronic bank.

18. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said locators, for identifying a location of each of at least one of a plurality of said users.

19. A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said selector selects only one of said plurality of said users who has maintained an interest for said period of time, at each of said locations.

20. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said timer determines said period of time using a type of said activity.

21. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user is connected to a network using a terminal.

22. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said network is Internet and wherein said terminal is a computer.

23. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said locator identifies a location for said terminal currently used by said user to maintain interest in said activity.

24. A system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said activity is being connected to a predetermined website on the Internet.

25. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said activity is participating in a game.

26. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said activity monitor comprises a participation checker for checking if said user participated in said activity throughout said period of time.

27. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said selector is a random selector.

28. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said prize is at least one of a number of credits, a prize, a dollar amount and a number of points.

29. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a profile builder for tracking a profile for said user, said profile having at least one of a duration of said interest, a type of said activity and a record of prizes won by said user.

30. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display for displaying information concerning at least one of said user, said location, said period of time and said prize.

31. A method for rewarding a user'"'"'s interest in an activity, comprising:

identifying a location for said user;

determining a period of time during which said user is to maintain interest in said activity;

monitoring an interest of said user in said activity for said period of time, at said location;

deciding if a prize should be awarded to said user if said user has maintained an interest for said period of time, at said location; and

choosing and awarding said prize to said user if said decision is positive;

whereby said user can be rewarded for having maintain his interest in said activity.

32. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said user is a player of a game.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said activity is playing in a principal casino table game.

34. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein said location is a seat at a casino table of a casino wherein said principal casino table game is played.

35. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said period of time is ten minutes.

36. A method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising providing information concerning said user for at least one of said identifying, determining and monitoring.

37. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said identifying comprises detecting a presence of said user at said location and emitting a signal having an identification code for said location and wherein said monitoring comprises receiving said signal.

38. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said determining comprises randomly generating a period of time for said monitoring.

39. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said monitoring comprises sensing if said user has placed a bet on said game.

40. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said choosing comprises choosing from a prize list.

41. A method as claimed in claim 40, wherein said choosing uses an indication of said period of time.

42. A method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising accumulating a jackpot amount available to be chosen as a prize.

43. A method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising recording a participation of said user in said monitoring.

44. A method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising identifying a location of each of at least one of a plurality of said users.

45. A method as claimed in claim 44, wherein said deciding selects only one of said plurality of said users who has maintained an interest for said period of time, at each of said locations.

46. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said determining uses a type of said activity.

47. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said user is connected to a network using a terminal.

48. A method as claimed in claim 47, wherein said network is Internet and wherein said terminal is a computer.

49. A method as claimed in claim 47, wherein said identifying comprises identifying a location for said terminal currently used by said user to maintain interest in said activity.

50. A method as claimed in claim 48, wherein said activity is being connected to a predetermined website on the Internet.

51. A method as claimed in claim 47, wherein said activity is participating in a game.

52. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said monitoring comprises checking if said user participated in said activity throughout said period of time.

53. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said deciding is a random decision.

54. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said prize is at least one of a number of credits, a prize, a dollar amount and a number of points.

55. A method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising tracking a profile for said user, said profile having at least one of a duration of said interest, a type of said activity and a record of prizes won by said user.

56. A method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising displaying information concerning at least one of said user, said location, said period of time and said prize.