Method and apparatus for obtaining marketing information through the playing of a maze based game

• US 6,612,932 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregory N. Stern
• Original Assignee: Gregory N. Stern
• Inventors: Stern, Gregory N.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Neill, Michael
• Application Number:
  US09/908,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20030054884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 463/41, 463/40, 463/16, 705/14, 705/26
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 214/22 Vinylidene fluoride
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 214/28 Hexyfluoropropene
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A system and process is designed to provide a medium for playing sweepstakes style games on the Internet. A standard game medium for decision point based, role playing style games is generated including graphic displays according to a selected theme. The game medium is converted by a game algorithm to a product medium. To generate the product medium, the player is requested to select a series of products from a hierarchy of categories and sub-categories which the player will have an opportunity to win during the play of the game. A player product profile will be generated according to the player'"'"'s preferences.

Claims

1. A method of playing product oriented role playing games for prizes on the Internet using a player interface connected through a communications network to a game server on which is resident game algorithms for playing decision point style games, said method comprising the steps of:

connecting the player interface to the game server through the communications network;

presenting to the player at least one game in which the player may choose to compete, based on sequential decision points having multiple choices at each of said decision points;

prompting the player to select a game to be played

storing a game medium for use by said game server, said game medium arranged in a structure having a set of graphical displays for each of said decision points and choices according to the rules of the selected game;

providing a product database having a listing of potential prizes from which the player may select;

creating a product medium having the same structure as the game medium by having the player select products from said product database for insertion into the game medium structure, said product medium having product symbols representing products selected by the player correlated to said graphic displays;

providing a game algorithm for each player for converting said game medium into said product medium;

using the game algorithm to convert the game medium to the product medium, based on the products selected; and

playing the role playing game wherein said game server plays the game according to the game medium, while the player plays the game using said product medium and wherein said game algorithm converts between said product medium and said game medium during said play.

2. A method of playing product oriented role playing games for prizes on the Internet using a player interface connected through a communications network to a game server on which is resident game algorithms for playing decision point style games, said method, as described in claim 1, wherein the product database includes a hierarchy of categories, sub-categories, and products and wherein the set of decision points and choices are correlated with a selected category, sub-category, or product by operation of the game algorithm.

3. A method of playing product oriented role playing games for prizes on the Internet using a player interface connected through a communications network to a game server on which is resident game algorithms for playing decision point style games, said method as described in claim 1 wherein the decision point style game is based on a maze.

4. A method of playing product oriented role playing games for prizes on the Internet using a player interface connected through a communications network to a game server on which is resident game algorithms for playing decision point style games, said method as described in claim 1 wherein the set of decision points and choices comprises a multiple branched decision tree structure.

5. A method of playing product oriented role playing games for prizes on the Internet using a player interface connected through a communications network to a game server on which is resident game algorithms for playing decision point style games, said method as described in claim 1 wherein the set of decision points and choices is associated with a series of product oriented graphic displays and said graphic displays are incorporated into said game medium.

6. A method of playing product oriented role playing games for prizes on the Internet using a player interface connected through a communications network to a game server on which is resident game algorithms for playing decision point style games, said method as described in claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

providing a series of graphic themes for said graphic displays; and

selecting a graphic theme for use in playing the game.

7. A method of playing product oriented role playing games for prizes on the Internet using a player interface connected through a communications network to a game server on which is resident game algorithms for playing decision point style games, said method, as described in claim 1, wherein multiple players may compete using the same game medium with different product mediums and different graphic schemes.

8. Apparatus for playing decision point style games for prizes on the Internet comprising:

a player interface having the capability of connection to a communications network to send and receive information;

a communications network available for bi-directional communication by the user interface;

a game server connected to the user interface through the communications network to provide interactive communication with the player, said game server presenting to the player at least one game which the player may select, based on sequential decision points having multiple choices at each of said decision points, and further comprising;

a game processor operative in association with a program to provide a game medium for use by said game server, said game medium having a set of graphical displays for each of said decision points and choices arranged in a structure according to the rules of the selected game;

a data storage unit in which is stored a database containing a product listing, accessible by the player to allow the player to create a product medium having the same structure as the game medium by selecting products from said listing of products to insert into the game medium structure;

said product medium having symbols representing products selected by the player correlated to said graphical displays of the game;

a game algorithm for each player for converting said game medium into said product medium during the play of the game; and

wherein the game processor converts between the game medium and the product medium, thereby allowing the player to play decision point style games using the product medium, while the game server plays the game using said game medium, and wherein said game algorithm converts between said product medium and said game medium during said play.