Method and articles for providing education and support related to wildlife and wildlife conservation

• US 6,739,941 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Planet Rascals
• Original Assignee: Planet Rascals
• Inventors: Brownsberger, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Hughes, S. Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADAMS, CHANDA L
• Application Number:
  US09/619,805
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 446/369, 446/268, 446/72, 446/97, 446/98, 446/99, 705/1, 705/26, 705/27, 705/14, 705/16
• US Class Current: 446/369
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method and articles are described which provide a child with an interactive mixture of information content, activities, games, physical objects such as toys, and interconnection and communication with other like minded children and supportive adults, all of which are directed to instilling in the child an appreciation for wildlife and interest in the conservation of wildlife. A unique feature of the present invention is that it causes the child to focus on a specific wild animal, one which is symbolically “adopted” by the child and which the child comes to know on a very personal basis. This invention therefore allows the development of a bond between the wild animal and child as the child learns about and follows the day-to-day activities, life and well-being of the animal, which in turn leads to the child'"'"'s development of knowledge and appreciation of wildlife generally.

Claims

1. A method for promotion of and education regarding wildlife which comprises:

identifying an individual animal;

compiling a database comprising a first body of information regarding said individual animal and a second body of information regarding animals other than said individual animal and incorporating said database into a form selected from a group consisting of electronic media and on a global computer network system;

providing an educational and play article having a configuration which is a recognizable effigy of said individual animal wherein said play article is in the form of a stuffed fabric representation of said individual animal, said representation including indicia recognizably related to said individual animal;

providing access to said database and an opportunity to purchase said article and said electronic media by a person, said access to said database comprising symbolic adoption of said individual animal by said person, said symbolic adoption comprising registration of association with said animal of said person,

requiring a first monetary payment by said person for access to at least a portion of said database and for purchase of said article and said electronic media, said database as incorporated on said global computer network system having two portions, and said first monetary payment being required for access to a first of said two portions but not for access to a second of said two portions; and

apportioning a part of said first monetary payment to maintenance of said individual animal and support of wildlife generally.

2. A method as in claim 1 further comprising providing merchandise related to said individual animal other than said article and said electronic media and providing means through said global computer network system for said person to purchase said merchandise for a second monetary payment, and apportioning a part of said second monetary payment to maintenance of said individual animal and support of wildlife generally.

3. A method as in claim 1 further comprising said access to said database comprising an interactive exchange between said person and said database through said electronic media or through a computer link to said global computer network system.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein said second of two said portions of said database contains a limited portion of said first body of information about said individual animal and said first of said two portions of said database contains a more extensive portion of said first body of information about said individual animal.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein said symbolic adoption further comprises issuance to said person of a unique identifier and using said identifier to gain said access to said first of said two portions of said database, said identifier also indicating said person'"'"'s association with said individual animal.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein said symbolic adoption further comprises intercommunication through said computer global network system for said person to communicate with another person who has also obtained a symbolic adoption of said individual animal.

7. A method as in claim 1 further comprising identification of a plurality of individual animals, each of which is of a different species.

8. A method as in claim 7 further comprising said person being a child.

9. A method as in claim 8 further comprising identifying of said child, wherein said child is of any age.