System for evaluation of response to broadcast transmissions
First Claim
1. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to a plurality of task-setting messages electronically transmitted to receivers at remote locations, the method comprising:
- transmitting a first set of electronic signals conveying a first task-setting message of said plurality of messages from a central station to receivers at remote locations;
receiving said first set of signals at said remote locations;
entering responses to said first task-setting message at said remote locations;
generating, at said central station, a first response criteria independently of said transmitting of said first set of electronic signals;
transmitting from a central station a second set of electronic signals conveying said first response criteria relative to said first task-setting message to said remote locations;
receiving said second set of signals at said remote locations;
comparing said responses with said first response criteria, said first response criteria comprising suitable words including alphanumerics and other indicia, and said responses comprising words including alphanumerics and other indicia; and
identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said first response criteria; and
whereinsaid step of comparing provides for a comparing of at least one key word or element in a response with said first response criteria;
said first response criteria includes a scoring basis, said method further comprising steps of;
scoring accepted responses meeting said scoring basis of said first response criteria;
modifying, at said central station said first response criteria to provide a second response criteria independently of said transmitting of said first set of electronic signals;
transmitting additional ones of said first set of electronic signals for conveying additional task-setting messages of said plurality of messages; and
transmitting to said remote locations additional ones of said second set of electronic signals to convey said second response criteria governing responses to said additional task-setting messages.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for evaluating responses to broadcast programs, such as television programs, includes an instructional signal modulated onto a voice signal transmitted concurrently with the television program, or time-multiplexed with a television. At each of a plurality of remote receiving stations, one or more members of a remote audience has the opportunity to respond to a situation presented in the television program by entering a response on a keyboard. The system includes, at each remote receiving station, a memory responsive to the instructional signal for storing desired responses, and a comparison circuit for comparing responses entered at the keyboard with those stored in the memory. Also provided is electronic circuitry for scoring the responses in accordance with commands from the instructional signal, and a recording device for providing a permanent record of the audience score at each of the remote receiving stations. Scoring is performed at differing levels of difficulty, set by a host or by a contestant, with credit being given also to the length of time required for response and the mode of response such as by use of a key word or phrase.
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Citations
93 Claims
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1. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to a plurality of task-setting messages electronically transmitted to receivers at remote locations, the method comprising:
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transmitting a first set of electronic signals conveying a first task-setting message of said plurality of messages from a central station to receivers at remote locations; receiving said first set of signals at said remote locations; entering responses to said first task-setting message at said remote locations; generating, at said central station, a first response criteria independently of said transmitting of said first set of electronic signals; transmitting from a central station a second set of electronic signals conveying said first response criteria relative to said first task-setting message to said remote locations; receiving said second set of signals at said remote locations; comparing said responses with said first response criteria, said first response criteria comprising suitable words including alphanumerics and other indicia, and said responses comprising words including alphanumerics and other indicia; and identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said first response criteria; and
whereinsaid step of comparing provides for a comparing of at least one key word or element in a response with said first response criteria; said first response criteria includes a scoring basis, said method further comprising steps of; scoring accepted responses meeting said scoring basis of said first response criteria; modifying, at said central station said first response criteria to provide a second response criteria independently of said transmitting of said first set of electronic signals; transmitting additional ones of said first set of electronic signals for conveying additional task-setting messages of said plurality of messages; and transmitting to said remote locations additional ones of said second set of electronic signals to convey said second response criteria governing responses to said additional task-setting messages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 64, 65, 72, 81, 83)
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7. A system for broadcasting a task-setting program signal from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites, and for responding to said task-setting program signal at said receiving stations, said system comprising:
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means at said central site for transmitting said task-setting program signal; means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said program signal to an audience, said program being a television program; means at said central site for transmitting an instructional signal incorporating predetermined response criteria including a timing of a response; means at said central site for encoding said instructional signal, said encoding means being suitable for operation by a host of said television program, said instructional-signal transmitting means including means for modulating encoded instructional signals upon a voice channel of said television program; means at each of said receiving stations responsive to said instructional signal for storing said predetermined response criteria; means at each of said receiving stations for entering responses by said audience to a task presented in said program; means at each of said receiving stations for comparing individual ones of said audience responses to said predetermined response criteria; means coupled to said comparing means for scoring said audience responses; and demodulation means at said receiving station coupled to said predetermined response-criteria storing means for extracting said instructional signal from said voice channel of said transmitted program signal; and
whereinsaid entering means includes buffer storing means for storing said audience responses, said buffer storing means outputting the audience response to said comparison means; said scoring means includes means for selectively altering a mode of scoring individual ones of said audience responses in response to said instructional signal; and
whereinsaid instructional signal can be altered to change criteria of said scoring mode independently of a transmission of the program signal. - View Dependent Claims (8, 80)
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9. A system for broadcasting a task-setting program signal from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites, and for responding to said task-setting program signal at said receiving stations, said system comprising:
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means at said central site for transmitting said task-setting program signal; means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said program signal to an audience; means at said central site for transmitting an instructional signal incorporating predetermined response criteria; means at each of said receiving stations responsive to said instructional signal for storing said predetermined response criteria; means at each of said receiving stations for entering a response by said audience to a task presented in said program; means at each of said receiving stations for comparing said audience response with said predetermined response criteria; means coupled to said comparing means for scoring said audience response; and recording means coupled to said scoring means for generating a record of responses meeting said predetermined response criteria; and
whereinsaid recording means outputs a recording medium storing said record for subsequent reading; said scoring means includes means for timing the response of said audience; said scoring means includes means responsive to said instructional signals for selectively altering a mode a scoring individual ones of said audience responses in response to said instructional signal; and
whereinsaid instructional signal can be altered to change criteria of said scoring means independently of a transmission of the program signal.
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10. A system for broadcasting a task-setting program signal from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites, and for responding to said program signal at said receiving stations, said system comprising:
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means at said central site for transmitting said task-setting program signal; means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said program signal to an audience; means at said central site for transmitting an instructional signal incorporating predetermined response criteria; means at each of said receiving stations responsive to said instructional signal for storing said predetermined response criteria; means at each of said receiving stations for entering a response by said audience to a situation presented in said program; means at each of said receiving stations for comparing said audience response to said predetermined response criteria; means coupled to said comparing means for scoring said audience response; and means at said central site for encoding said instructional signal, and wherein said instructional-signal transmitting means includes means for modulating encoded instructional signals upon a voice signal to be transmitted by said instructional signal transmitting means; said system further comprising demodulation means at each of said receiving stations coupled to said response-criteria storing means for extracting said instructional signal from said voice signal of said transmitted programs signal; and means at each of said receiving stations coupled to said scoring means for generating a record on a recording medium, a result of said scoring appearing on said recording medium upon activation of said scoring means; and
wherein said record generating means provides said record with at least one distinguishing indicium selected from a group consisting of discrete dashes, connected, dashes, dots, regular shapes, irregular shapes, codes, numbers, letters and symbols, so as to prevent tampering, forging, and counterfeiting;said entering means includes buffer storing means for storing said audience response, said buffer storing means outputting individual responses of the audience to said comparison means; said scoring means includes means responsive to said instructional signal for timing individual responses of said audience; said scoring means includes means for selectively altering criteria employed in a mode of scoring in response to said instructional signal; and
whereinsaid means for transmitting said instructional signal includes means for altering said instructional signal, independently of a transmission of a program signal, to activate said scoring means to alter said timing. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 50, 52, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 84, 86, 87)
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11. A system for broadcasting a task-setting program signal from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites, and for responding to said program signal at said receiving stations, said system comprising:
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means at said central site for transmitting said task-setting program signal; means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said program signal to an audience; means at said central site for transmitting an instructional signal incorporating predetermined response criteria; means at each of said receiving stations responsive to said instructional signal for storing said predetermined response criteria; means at each of said receiving stations for entering a response by said audience to a situation presented in said program; means at each of said receiving stations for comparing said audience response with said predetermined response criteria; means coupled to said comparing means for scoring individual responses of said audience; and
whereinsaid scoring means includes means responsive to said instructional signal for timing individual responses of said audience, said timing means having means for setting a time interval allowed for entering said responses; said entering means includes buffer storing means for storing said audience response, said buffer storing means outputting the audience response to said comparison means; said scoring means is capable of altering a mode of scoring in response to said instructional signal; and said system further comprises; recording means coupled to said scoring means for outputting a record of scored responses of said audience, said record having easily recognizable indicia and being in the form of hard copy; means at each of said receiving stations responsive to said instructional signal for activating and deactivating said scoring means; and
whereinsaid hard copy includes results of a scoring of said responses upon activation of said scoring means, and excludes a scoring of said responses upon a deactivating of said scoring means; a response produced on said hard copy is in alphanumeric form; and said means for transmitting said instructional signal includes means for altering said instructional signal;
independently of a transmission of a program signal, to activate said scoring means to alter said timing.
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12. A system for broadcasting a task-setting program signal from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites, and for responding to said program signal at said receiving stations, said system comprising:
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means at said central site for transmitting said task-setting program signal; means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said program signal to an audience; means at each of said receiving stations for entering a response by said audience to a situation presented in said program; means at each of said receiving stations coupled to said entering means for generating a hard copy of said response; means at said central site for transmitting an instructional signal delineating acceptable responses and a mode of scoring such responses; means at each of said receiving stations responsive to said instructional signal for storing an acceptable response to said program signals; means coupled to said entering means and to said storing means for scoring said response, a result of said scoring means appearing on said hard copy upon activation of said scoring means; and means responsive to said instructional signal for activating said scoring means; and
whereinsaid means for transmitting said instructional signal includes means for altering said instructional signal, independently of a transmission of the program signal, to activate said scoring means to alter a mode of scoring by said scoring means. - View Dependent Claims (36, 38, 73)
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13. A system for broadcasting a task-setting program signal from a central site to a remote audience at a plurality of receiving stations and for responding to said program signal at said receiving stations, said system comprising:
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means at said central site for transmitting said task-setting program signal; means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said program signal to said remote audience; means at said central site for transmitting an instructional signal incorporating formatted response criteria, said response criteria including a mode of scoring responses and a period of time allowed respondents for entering responses; formatting means at said central site suitable for operation by a conductor of said broadcast program for formatting said response criteria prior to transmission of said response criteria by said transmitting means, said formatting means being suitable for operation by a conductor of said broadcast program for reformatting said response criteria by altering said instructional signal independently of a transmission of the program signal, reformatted response criteria including selective alteration of response criteria consisting of the mode of scoring responses or the period of time allowed respondents for entering responses; means at said central site suitable for operation by a conductor of said broadcast program for encoding said instructional signal; means included in said instructional-signal transmitting means for modulating said encoded instructional signal upon a voice channel of a program broadcast from said central site; means at each of said receiving stations responsive to said instructional signal for storing formatted and reformatted response criteria; means at each of said receiving stations for entering responses by members of said remote audience to a task presented in said program, said entering means including buffer storing means at each remote location for storing said remote audience response; demodulation means at each of said receiving stations coupled to said response entering means for extracting said instructional signal from said voice channel of said transmitted program signal; means at said receiving stations for comparing each of said remote audience responses with said formatted or reformatted response criteria; means included in said buffer storing means for outputting said remote audience response to said comparing means; means at said receiving stations, and coupled to said comparing means, for scoring said remote audience responses, and means for timing such responses, said scoring means operating on the basis of a period of time allowed for entering a response by members of said remote audience in accordance with formatted or reformatted response criteria and; means for recording said scored responses. - View Dependent Claims (37, 39)
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14. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting messages electronically transmitted to receivers at remote locations, which method comprises:
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formulating a plurality of task-setting messages for sequential transmission to members of a remote audience; formatting response criteria for a task of said task-setting messages, said response criteria including acceptable responses, a scoring basis with difficulty level and a timing of said responses for determined time intervals; transmitting electronic task-setting signals conveying said task-setting messages from a central station to receivers at remote locations; receiving said signals conveying said task-setting messages at said remote locations; transmitting from a central station electronic response-criteria signals conveying response criteria governing responses to each task of said task-setting messages, said response-criteria signals being transmitted to said remote locations; receiving said response-criteria signals at said remote locations; entering responses to said task-setting messages on data-entering devices at said remote locations; comparing said responses with acceptable responses meeting said response criteria; identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said response criteria; scoring each response relative to the scoring basis of said response criteria; creating a record on a recording medium at each of said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step, wherein said creating includes providing said record with at least one distinguishing indicium selected from a group consisting of discrete dashes, connected, dashes, dots, regular shapes, irregular shapes, codes, numbers, letters and symbols, so as to prevent tampering, forging, and counterfeiting; modifying by at least partially reformatting said response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to fit a subsequent task; transmitting the response-criteria signals with modified response criteria independently of a transmission of said task-setting signals; and repeating the foregoing steps, wherein a repetition of modifying a response criteria includes a reformatting of individual ones of said first-mentioned response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to be applied to tasks of subsequent ones of said task-setting messages. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 40, 48, 49, 61, 62, 63, 66, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 82, 88, 89, 90)
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23. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting messages electronically transmitted to receivers at remote locations, which method comprises:
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formulating a plurality of task-setting messages for sequential transmission to members of a remote audience; formatting response criteria for a task of said task-setting messages, said response criteria including acceptable responses, a scoring basis with difficulty level and a timing of said responses for determined time intervals; transmitting electronic task-setting signals conveying said task-setting messages from a central station to receivers at remote locations; receiving said signals conveying said task-setting messages at said remote locations; transmitting from a central station electronic response-criteria signals conveying response criteria governing responses to each task of said task-setting messages, said response-criteria signals being transmitted to said remote locations; receiving said response-criteria signals at said remote locations; entering responses to said task-setting messages on data-entering devices at said remote locations; comparing said responses with acceptable responses meeting said response criteria; identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said response criteria; scoring each response relative to the scoring basis of said response criteria; creating a record on a recording medium at each of said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step; modifying by at least partially reformatting said response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to fit a subsequent task; transmitting the response-criteria signals with modified response criteria independently of a transmission of said task-setting signals; repeating the foregoing steps, wherein a repetition of modifying a response criteria includes a reformatting of individual ones of said first-mentioned response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to be applied to tasks of subsequent ones of said task-setting messages; and wherein the method is intended to permit individuals at remote locations to participate in task-setting programs of the type requiring answers to questions presented by a program conductor, wherein said record-creating step includes a step of dispensing a hard-copy record of the processed response, said hard copy comprising a redeemable coupon and having imprinted thereon advertising material or shopping hints.
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28. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting messages electronically transmitted to receivers at remote locations, which method comprises;
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formulating a plurality of task-setting messages for sequential transmission to members of a remote audience; formatting response criteria for a task of said task-setting messages, said response criteria including acceptable responses, a scoring basis with difficulty level and a timing of said responses for determined time intervals; transmitting electronic task-setting signals conveying said task-setting messages from a central station to receivers at remote locations; receiving said signals conveying said task-setting messages at said remote locations; transmitting from a central station electronic response-criteria signals conveying response criteria governing responses to each task of said task-setting messages, said response-criteria signals being transmitted to said remote locations; receiving said response-criteria signals at said remote locations; entering responses to said task-setting messages on data-entering devices at said remote locations; comparing said responses with acceptable responses meeting said response criteria; identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said response criteria; scoring each response relative to the scoring basis of said response criteria; creating a record on a recording medium at each of said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step; modifying by at least partially reformatting said response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to fit a subsequent task; transmitting the response-criteria signals with modified response criteria independently of a transmission of said task-setting signals; and repeating the foregoing steps, wherein a repetition of modifying a response criteria includes a reformatting of individual ones of said first-mentioned response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to be applied to tasks of subsequent ones of said task-setting messages; and
whereintampering, forging, and counterfeiting of the record is prevented by including in said record-creating step a further step of providing a recording medium of tamper resistant composition.
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32. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting messages electronically transmitted to receivers at remote locations, which method comprises:
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formulating a plurality of task-setting messages for sequential transmission to members of a remote audience; formatting response criteria for a task of said task-setting messages, said response criteria including acceptable responses, a scoring basis with difficulty level and a timing of said responses for determined time intervals; transmitting electronic task-setting signals conveying said task-setting messages from a central station to receivers at remote locations; receiving said signals conveying said task-setting messages at said remote locations; transmitting from a central station electronic response-criteria signals conveying response criteria governing responses to each task of said task-setting messages, said response-criteria signals being transmitted to said remote locations; receiving said response-criteria signals at said remote locations; entering responses to said task-setting messages on data-entering devices at said remote locations; comparing said responses with acceptable responses meeting said response criteria; identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said response criteria; scoring each response relative to the scoring basis of said response criteria; creating a record on a recording medium at each of said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step; modifying by at least partially reformatting said response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to fit a subsequent task; transmitting the response-criteria signals with modified response criteria independently of a transmission of said task-setting signals; repeating the foregoing steps, wherein a repetition of modifying a response criteria includes a reformatting of individual ones of said first-mentioned response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to be applied to tasks of subsequent ones of said task-setting messages; and providing means for altering the difficulty level of said first-mentioned response criteria by a program conductor or by an individual respondent.
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33. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting messages electronically transmitted to receivers at remote locations, which method comprises:
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formulating a plurality of task-setting messages for sequential transmission to members of a remote audience; formatting response criteria for a task of said task-setting messages, said response criteria including acceptable responses, a scoring basis with difficulty level and a timing of said responses for determined time intervals; transmitting electronic task-setting signals conveying said task-setting messages from a central station to receivers at remote locations; receiving said signals conveying said task-setting messages at said remote locations; transmitting from a central station electronic response-criteria signals conveying response criteria governing responses to each task of said task-setting messages, said response-criteria signals being transmitted to said remote locations; receiving said response-criteria signals at said remote locations; entering responses to said task-setting messages on data-entering devices at said remote locations; comparing said responses with acceptable responses meeting said response criteria; identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said response criteria; scoring each response relative to the scoring basis of said response criteria; creating a record on a recording medium at each of said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step; modifying by at least partially reformatting said response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to fit a subsequent task; transmitting the response-criteria signals with modified response criteria independently of a transmission of said task-setting signals; repeating the foregoing steps, wherein a repetition of modifying a response criteria includes a reformatting of individual ones of said first-mentioned response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to be applied to tasks of subsequent ones of said task-setting messages; and permitting an individual respondent to select a difficulty level before knowing a question to be responded to by said response entering step.
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41. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting messages electronically transmitted to receivers at remote locations, which method comprises:
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formulating a plurality of task-setting messages for sequential transmission to members of a remote audience; formatting response criteria for a task of said task-setting messages, said response criteria including acceptable responses, a scoring basis with difficulty level and a timing of said responses for determined time intervals; transmitting electronic task-setting signals conveying said task-setting messages from a central station to receivers at remote locations; receiving said signals conveying said task-setting messages at said remote locations; transmitting from a central station electronic response-criteria signals conveying response criteria governing responses to each task of said task-setting messages, said response-criteria signals being transmitted to said remote locations; receiving said response-criteria signals at said remote locations; entering responses to said task-setting messages on data-entering devices at said remote locations; comparing said responses with acceptable responses meeting said response criteria; identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said response criteria; scoring each response relative to the scoring basis of said response criteria; creating a record on a recording medium at each of said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step; modifying by at least partially reformatting said response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to fit a subsequent task; transmitting the response-criteria signals with modified response criteria independently of a transmission of said task-setting signals; repeating the foregoing steps, wherein a repetition of modifying a response criteria includes a reformatting of individual ones of said first-mentioned response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to be applied to tasks of subsequent ones of said task-setting messages; and wherein said formatting includes a step of setting a plurality of difficulty levels as part of the response criteria of a question.
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42. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting messages electronically transmitted to receivers at remote locations, which method comprises:
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formulating a plurality of task-setting messages for sequential transmission to members of a remote audience; formatting response criteria for a task of said task-setting messages, said response criteria including acceptable responses, a scoring basis with difficulty level and a timing of said responses for determined time intervals; transmitting electronic task-setting signals conveying said task-setting messages from a central station to receivers at remote locations; receiving said signals conveying said task-setting messages at said remote locations; transmitting from a central station electronic response-criteria signals conveying response criteria governing responses to each task of said task-setting messages, said response-criteria signals being transmitted to said remote locations; receiving said response-criteria signals at said remote locations; entering responses to said task-setting messages on data-entering devices at said remote locations; comparing said responses with acceptable responses meeting said response criteria; identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said response criteria; scoring each response relative to the scoring basis of said response criteria; creating a record on a recording medium at each of said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step; modifying by at least partially reformatting said response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to fit a subsequent task; transmitting the response-criteria signals with modified response criteria independently of a transmission of said task-setting signals; repeating the foregoing steps, wherein a repetition of modifying a response criteria includes a reformatting of individual ones of said first-mentioned response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to be applied to tasks of subsequent ones of said task-setting messages; and wherein, in said formatting step, a difficulty level is at least in part determined by the time allowed for answering a question by an entering of a response.
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43. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting messages electronically transmitted to receivers at remote locations, which method comprises:
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formulating a plurality of task-setting messages for sequential transmission to members of a remote audience; formatting response criteria for a task of said task-setting messages, said response criteria including acceptable responses, a scoring basis with difficulty level and a timing of said responses for determined time intervals; transmitting electronic task-setting signals conveying said task-setting messages from a central station to receivers at remote locations; receiving said signals conveying said task-setting messages at said remote locations; transmitting from a central station electronic response-criteria signals conveying response criteria governing responses to each task of said task-setting messages, said response-criteria signals being transmitted to said remote locations; receiving said response-criteria signals at said remote locations; entering responses to said task-setting messages on data-entering devices at said remote locations; comparing said responses with acceptable responses meeting said response criteria; identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said response criteria; scoring each response relative to the scoring basis of said response criteria; creating a record on a recording medium at each of said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step; modifying by at least partially reformatting said response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to fit a subsequent task; transmitting the response-criteria signals with modified response criteria independently of a transmission of said task-setting signals; repeating the foregoing steps, wherein a repetition of modifying a response criteria includes a reformatting of individual ones of said first-mentioned response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to be applied to tasks of subsequent ones of said task-setting messages; and wherein said step of scoring provides that an answer to the same question at higher difficulty levels carries a greater award.
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44. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting messages electronically transmitted to receivers at remote locations, which method comprises:
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formulating a plurality of task-setting messages for sequential transmission to members of a remote audience; formatting response criteria for a task of said task-setting messages, said response criteria including acceptable responses, a scoring basis with difficulty level and a timing of said responses for determined time intervals; transmitting electronic task-setting signals conveying said task-setting messages from a central station to receivers at remote locations; receiving said signals conveying said task-setting messages at said remote locations; transmitting from a central station electronic response-criteria signals conveying response criteria governing responses to each task of said task-setting messages, said response-criteria signals being transmitted to said remote locations; receiving said response-criteria signals at said remote locations; entering responses to said task-setting messages on data-entering devices at said remote locations; comparing said responses with acceptable responses meeting said response criteria; identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said response criteria; scoring each response relative to the scoring basis of said response criteria; creating a record on a recording medium at each of said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step; modifying by at least partially reformatting said response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to fit a subsequent task; transmitting the response-criteria signals with modified response criteria independently of a transmission of said task-setting signals; repeating the foregoing steps, wherein a repetition of modifying a response criteria includes a reformatting of individual ones of said first-mentioned response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signals to be applied to tasks of subsequent ones of said task-setting messages; and informing a television audience, prior to posing a question, of awards associated with each difficulty level of a particular question. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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51. A system for broadcasting a task-setting program signal from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites, and for responding to said program signal at said receiving stations, said system comprising:
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means at said central site for transmitting said task-setting program signal; means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said program signal to an audience; means at said central site for transmitting an instructional signal incorporating predetermined response criteria; means at each of said receiving stations responsive to said instructional signal for storing said predetermined response criteria; means at each of said receiving stations for entering a response by said audience to a situation presented in said program; means at each of said receiving stations for comparing said audience response to said predetermined response criteria; means coupled to said comparing means for scoring said audience response; means at said central site for encoding said instructional signals, and wherein said instructional-signal transmitting means includes means for modulating encoded instructional signals upon a voice signal to be transmitted by said instructional signal transmitting means; said system further comprising demodulation means at each of said receiving stations coupled to said response-criteria storing means for extracting said instructional signal from said voice signal of said transmitted programs signal; and means at each of said receiving stations coupled to said scoring means for generating a record on a recording medium, a result of said scoring appearing on said recording medium upon activation of said scoring means; and
whereinsaid entering means includes buffer storing means for storing said audience response, said buffer storing means outputting individual responses of the audience to said comparison means; said scoring means includes means responsive to said instructional signal for timing individual responses to said audience; said scoring means includes means for selectively altering criteria employed in a mode of scoring in response to said instructional signal; and
whereinsaid means for transmitting said instructional signal includes means for altering said instructional signal, independently of a transmission of a program signal, to activate said scoring means to alter said timing; said system further including selection means at remote locations and operable by a contestant to select one of several specified alternative subject areas of a question.
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53. A system for broadcasting a task-setting program signal from a central site to a plurality of receiving stations at remote sites, and for responding to said program signal at said receiving stations, said system comprising:
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means at said central site for transmitting said task-setting program signal; means at each of said receiving stations for presenting a program transmitted by said program signal to an audience; means at said central site for transmitting an instructional signal incorporating predetermined response criteria; means at each of said receiving stations responsive to said instructional signal for storing said predetermined response criteria; means at each of said receiving stations for entering a response by said audience to a situation presented in said program; means at each of said receiving stations for comparing said audience response to said predetermined response criteria; means coupled to said comparing means for scoring said audience response; and means at said central site for encoding said instructional signal, and wherein said instructional-signal transmitting means includes means for modulating encoded instructional signals upon a voice signal to be transmitted by said instructional signal transmitting means; said system further comprising demodulation means at each of said receiving stations coupled to said response-criteria storing means for extracting said instructional signal from said voice signal of said transmitted programs signal; and means at each of said receiving stations coupled to said scoring means for generating a record on a recording medium, a result of said scoring appearing on said recording medium upon activation of said scoring means; and
whereinsaid entering means includes buffer storing means for storing said audience response, said buffer storing means outputting individual responses of the audience to said comparison means; said scoring means includes means responsive to said instructional signal for timing individual responses to said audience; said scoring means includes means for selectively altering criteria employed in a mode of scoring in response to said instructional signal; and
whereinsaid means for transmitting said instructional signal includes means for altering said instructional signal, independently of a transmission of a program signal, to activate said scoring means to alter said timing; and said response criteria includes a plurality of responses at differing levels of difficulty including higher and lower levels of difficulty, and said scoring means is operable by a contestant for scoring a response based on a higher difficulty level. - View Dependent Claims (54)
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67. A method for evaluating responses to task-setting messages electronically transmitted from a central station to members of a remote audience who have responded to said messages in a manner meeting predetermined response criteria, which method comprises the steps of:
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transmitting audio-visual signals to the members of the remote audience, the audio-visual signals conveying a presentation of data accompanied by task-setting messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience; transmitting signals conveying response criteria to members of the remote audience at remote locations for responding to individual ones of said task-setting messages, said response criteria including a scoring basis for responses to be entered by the members of the remote audience, said scoring basis including a difficulty level; entering responses to said task-setting messages by members of said audience; comparing individual ones of said responses entered by a member of said remote audience with said response criteria; scoring each response relative to said response criteria in correlation with a difficulty level; creating a record on a recording medium at each said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step, wherein said creating includes providing said record with at least one distinguishing indicium selected from a group consisting of discrete dashes, connected, dashes, dots, regular shapes, irregular shapes, codes, numbers, letters and symbols, so as to prevent tampering, forging, and counterfeiting; allowing interaction between a member of the remote audience and the central station by means of a communication link between a remote location and the central station; altering the response criteria in accordance with said interaction; and permitting further response by members of the remote audience in accord with altered response criteria. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69)
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70. A system for evaluating responses by members of an audience to task-setting messages electronically transmitted from a central station to locations remote from the central station, the audience members being located at the remote locations, the system comprising:
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first transmitter means for transmitting audio-visual signals to the remote locations, the audio-visual signals conveying a presentation of data accompanied by task-setting messages defining tasks to be performed by members of the audience relative to said presentation; response means at the remote locations operable by individual ones of the audience members for responding to the task-setting messages; second transmitter means for transmitting response-criteria signals to the remote locations, the response means being activated by the response-criteria signals, said response criteria signals conveying a response criteria including a scoring basis for evaluating acceptable responses to be entered by the audience members; and
wherein said response means includesmeans for comparing a response entered by an audience member with said response criteria; means for scoring a response to output a score based on said scoring basis; means coupled to said scoring means for generating a record on a recording medium, a result of said scoring means appearing on said recording medium upon activation of said scoring means; communication means allowing interaction between an audience member and the central station; and
whereinsaid record generating means provides said record with at least one distinguishing indicium selected from a group consisting of discrete dashes, connected, dashes, dots, regular shapes, irregular shapes, codes, numbers, letters and symbols, so as to prevent tampering, forging, and counterfeiting; and at least one of said first and said second transmitter means provides for modification of their respective signals to alter the acceptability of a response. - View Dependent Claims (71, 91, 92, 93)
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85. A method for remotely evaluating and creating a record of responses to task-setting signal messages electronically transmitted to receivers at remote locations, which method comprises the steps of:
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formulating a radio program comprising a plurality of tasks to be performed sequentially by members of the radio audience and to be conveyed to said members in the form of task-setting electronic signal messages; transmitting said electronic task-setting signal messages from a central station on an assigned radio frequency; receiving said electronic task-setting signal messages at remote locations; formatting response criteria governing responses to a task, said response criteria including acceptable responses, a scoring basis with difficulty level and a timing of said responses for determined time intervals; transmitting electronic signals conveying response criteria on a subcarrier of an assigned radio frequency to said remote locations prior to or substantially concurrently with the transmission of said task-setting signal messages; receiving said electronic signals conveying response criteria at remote locations; entering responses on a data entry device at said remote locations; comparing said responses with acceptable responses meeting said response criteria; identifying individual ones of said responses meeting said response criteria; scoring each response relative to the scoring basis of said response criteria; creating a record on a recording medium at each said remote locations of scored response results from said scoring step, wherein said creating includes providing said record with at least one distinguishing indicium selected from a group consisting of discrete dashes, connected, dashes, dots, regular shapes, irregular shapes, codes, numbers, letters and symbols, so as to prevent tampering, forging, and counterfeiting; modifying by at least partially reformatting individual ones of said response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting messages, so as to individually govern a subsequent task; transmitting electronic signals conveying reformatted response criteria on a subcarrier of an assigned radio-frequency; repeating the foregoing steps, wherein a repetition of modifying response criteria includes a reformatting of individual ones of said first-mentioned response criteria independently of said transmitting of said task-setting signal messages, to be applied to tasks of subsequent ones of said task-setting signal messages.
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Specification