Interactive game show and method for achieving interactive communication therewith

• US 5,035,422 A
• Filed: 12/07/1989
• Issued: 07/30/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Berman
• Original Assignee: Robert Berman
• Inventors: Berman, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US07/447,884
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 434/323, 379/91, 379/92, 379/90, 273/1 E, 273/DIG. 28, 273/236, 273/237, 273/138 R, 273/138 A, 273/144 R, 273/144 A, 273/144 B, 273/269
• US Class Current: 463/18
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/086 played via telephone, e.g. using a modem
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/64 used for radio or television, e.g. television shows; used in front of an audience
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric

Abstract

By providing an interactive communication system whereby individuals are able to electronically select at least one possible outcome of a plurality of outcomes of a future event, individuals are able to participate in the outcome of that event and possible share in a prize award associated with the event. In the preferred embodiment, individualys forming the home audience of a televised game show are able to electronically communicate a series of random numbers using their telephones to participate in possible winning the prize awards of the show. In addition, both on-camera game participants and the studio audience also participate and have the abililty to win prizes.

Claims

1. A method for providing a televisable game show in which the home viewing audience and the studio audience are able to directly participate by having a chance to win prize awards comprising the steps of:

A. selecting at least two contestants;

B. establishing a pool comprising a fixed quantity of unique indicia;

C. requiring one contestant to select and earn the right to have one of the indicia in the pool, placed in that contestant'"'"'s personal indicia set, said indicia set comprising a fixed number of available spaces, said fixed number being substantially smaller than the total number of available indicia;

D. requiring each other contestant to individually select and earn the right to have one indicia from the pool placed in that contestant'"'"'s personal indicia set;

E. repeating the indicia selection and earning steps for a pre-determined time period or until the contestants have filled the spaces available in their personal indicia set;

F. randomly selecting a game winning indicia set from the entire pool of indicia, said game winning indicia set having the same number of indicia as the personal indicia set of each contestant; and

G. awarding a grand prize to a participating contestant having a personal indicia set which matches in its entirety the randomly generated, game winning indicia set.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the indicia are further defined as comprising unique numbers and the pool of unique numbers is further defined as comprising a total of between about thirty-six and sixty.

3. The method defined in claim 2, wherein said personal indicia set is further defined as ranging between about four and ten.

4. The method defined in claim 1, wherein each contestant earns the right to have the indicia selected from the pool and placed in that contestant'"'"'s personal indicia set by correctly answering a question associated with that indicia.

5. The method defined in claim 4, comprising the additional steps of

H. establishing a highly visible, game board displaying the entire pool of indicia;

and

I. associating a question with each indicia which question must be correctly answered by a contestant before the contestant selecting that indicia is able to have that indicia placed in that contestant'"'"'s personal indicia set.

6. The method defined in claim 5, comprising the additional step of

J. associating a prize award with each indicia, which prize award is won by the contestant selecting the indicia and properly answering the question also associated therewith.

7. The method defined in claim 6, wherein said prize award is further defined as comprising a cash award.

8. The method defined in claim 7, comprising the additional step of

K. associating a multiplication factor with a plurality of the indicia, said multiplication factor being revealed upon the selection of the indicia by a contestant, whereby the cash prize award associated with that indicia is multiplied by the multiplication factor and awarded to the contestant successfully answering the question associated therewith.

9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein said multiplication factor ranges between about two and twenty-five.

10. The method defined in claim 9, comprising the additional step of

L. selecting for participation in winning the grand prize the contestant having earned the most prize money during the process of obtaining a personal indicia set.

11. The method defined in claim 1, comprising the additional step of

H. awarding the grand prize to the participating contestant who fails to have a personal indicia set perfectly matching the randomly generated indicia set, provided such contestant correctly answers the grand prize winning questions associated with the indicia appearing in the grand prize indicia set and not present in the contestant'"'"'s personal indicia set.

12. The televisable game show method defined in claim 1, comprising the additional steps of

H. providing each member of the studio audience with a game card for designating a personal indicia set,

I. receiving and recording each studio audience selection for a personal indicia set;

and

J. awarding a pre-determined prize award to all studio members having submitted a personal indicia set which matches in its entirety the randomly generated game winning indicia set.

13. The televisable game show method defined in claim 1, comprising the additional steps of

H. receiving and recording personal indicia set selections from home viewers;

I. comparing the personal indicia set submitted by each home viewer with the randomly generated, game winning indicia set; and

J. awarding a pre-determined prize to all contestants having entered a personal indicia set which matches in its entirety the randomly generated, game winning indicia set.

14. The televisable game show method defined in claim 13, wherein said receiving and recording step is provided by computer means capable of receiving telephone calls from home viewers, thereby enabling the home viewers to actively participate in the game show by merely employing their telephones.

15. The televisable game show method defined in claim 14, wherein said computer means is further defined as comprising

a. means for receiving individual identifying indicia via telephone transmission for identifying each individual caller,

b. means for receiving and recording in association with each individual caller the particular contest-entering personal indicia set of the caller;

and

c. means for comparing the personal indicia set of each caller with the randomly generated, game-winning indicia set and identifying all individuals whose personal indicia matches in its entirety the randomly generated game winning indicia set.