Game presentation in a retail establishment

• US 7,845,555 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2009
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Gilman, Norman C., Fincham, Magdalena M., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Bemer, Keith, Golden, Andrew P., Alderucci, Dean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Seung H
• Application Number:
  US12/468,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20090224037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/378, 235/385, 705/14, 705/16, 802/22
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0247 Calculate past, present or future revenues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/01 Details for indicating displaying information in general G09F, G09G
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a game presentation such as a virtual slot machine is displayed by a display device associated with a point of sale (POS) terminal. The game presentation includes images of products for which product identifying codes are entered at the POS terminal. The game presentation indicates to a customer an outcome of a random process pursuant to which the customer may be awarded a benefit such as a free product, a discount on a product selected for purchase, a coupon or an upsell offer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via a point of sale terminal, a customer identifier that identifies a customer;

receiving at least one product identifier corresponding to a product selected for purchase by the customer;

accessing, by a central controller in communication with the point of sale terminal, customer information associated with the customer identifier;

generating a plurality of random outcomes;

determining, by the central controller, an offer based on the random outcomes and at least a portion of the customer information; and

providing the offer.

2. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the customer identifier comprises receiving data from at least one of a magnetic stripe card reader, a keypad, and a touch screen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer information comprises at least one of a customer address, a purchasing history of the customer, and an outcome previously provided to the customer.

4. The method of claim 1, in which determining an offer further comprises utilizing at least a portion of the customer information to determine which ones of a plurality of offers are available.

5. The method of claim 1, in which determining the offer comprises selecting at least one offer from a plurality of offers, wherein each offer has a respective sponsor.

6. The method of claim 1, in which determining the offer further comprises selecting the offer from a plurality of offers, each offer having a respective likelihood of being awarded.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising basing the likelihood of providing a particular offer on at least one of an amount paid by a corresponding sponsor of the offer, and at least one offer previously provided to the customer.

8. The method of claim 1, in which determining the offer further comprises determining the offer based on the at least one product identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, in which providing the offer comprises providing the customer with at least two offers.

10. The method of claim 1, in which providing the offer comprises at least one of displaying an image on a screen and a text representation.

11. The method of claim 1, in which providing the offer comprises displaying a game presentation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the game presentation comprises indicia of at least one of a virtual slot machine, a virtual car race, a virtual sports competition and a virtual roulette.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a coupon to the customer based on at least one coupon rule.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one coupon rule provides for issuing the coupon if at least one of the customer has shopped at a retailer on at least one prior occasion, and a product corresponding to the coupon was purchased in a previous transaction.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a benefit to the customer corresponding to the offer.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, prior to providing the benefit, charging the customer for the privilege of having a benefit provided.

17. The method of claim 15, in which providing the benefit comprises at least one of issuing a coupon, providing a check for a rebate, providing a discount offer for a product other than the at least one product selected by the customer, providing a cash prize, and providing a free item.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to providing the offer, charging the customer to have an offer provided.

19. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to:

receive, via a point of sale terminal, a customer identifier that identifies a customer;

receive at least one product identifier corresponding to a product selected for purchase by the customer;

access, by a central controller in communication with the point of sale terminal, customer information associated with the customer identifier;

generate a plurality of random outcomes;

determine, by the central controller, an offer based on the random outcomes and at least a portion of the customer information; and

provide the offer.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a communication device coupled to the processor; and

a data storage device operatively coupled to the processor and containing instructions configured to direct the processor to;

receive a customer identifier that identifies a customer;

receive at least one product identifier corresponding to a product selected for purchase by the customer;

access customer information associated with the customer identifier;

generate a plurality of random outcomes;

determine an offer based on the random outcomes and at least a portion of the customer information; and

provide the offer.