Method and apparatus for conducting or facilitating a promotion

• US 8,784,198 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2013
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Jorasch, James A., Kim, Peter, Palmer, Timothy A., Bemer, Keith, Golden, Andrew P., Allison, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US13/734,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20130130787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 463 29- 33, 463/42, 705/14.4
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/50 Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0211 Determining the effectiveness of discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0213 Consumer transaction fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0248 Avoiding fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A method and apparatus for conducting a promotion and for distributing promotions to potential users provide a merchant or promotion organizer flexibility in the way they conduct the promotion as well as an ability to change one or more aspects of the promotion during the operation of the promotion. One or more outcomes are generated by a controller and provided to a user. In addition, one or more codes which allow the outcomes to be revealed or unlocked are generated by the controller and provided to an intermediary. In exchange for completing or satisfying a qualifying action or criteria, the user may receive a code from the intermediary. The user can then unlock an outcome to reveal a prize, benefit, symbol, value, etc., associated with the unlocked outcome. The user may provide a redemption request to either the controller or the intermediary based on the unlocked outcome to receive a benefit or prize associated with the unlocked outcome.

Claims

1. A mobile device operable to facilitate a game playable on the mobile device, the mobile device comprising:

an input mechanism for receiving input from a user of the mobile device;

a display screen for outputting results of the game;

a processor;

a memory, the memory operable to store a first software program for conducting the game on the mobile device and a locked outcome of the game such that, upon the first software program being stored in the memory, the processor is operable with the first software program to;

facilitate play of the game by recognizing inputs from the user via the input mechanism;

receive a signal comprising an unlock code;

unlock the locked outcome of the game using the unlock code, thereby determining an unlocked outcome;

determine an intra-game benefit associated with the unlocked outcome; and

incorporate the intra-game benefit into the game while it is being played on the mobile device by the user.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor being operable with the first software program to receive a signal comprising the unlock code comprises the processor being operable with the first software program to receive an input from the user via the input mechanism, the input comprising the signal.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor being operable with the first software program to receive a signal comprising the unlock code comprise the processor being operable with the first software program to receive a signal from a third party via a network via which the mobile device is operable to communicate with the third party.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor being operable with the first software program to receive a signal comprising the unlock code comprises the processor being operable with the first software program to:

receive a request to use a previously stored unlock code to unlock the locked outcome.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the locked outcome comprises an outcome stored in an encrypted form such that the intra-game benefit associated with the locked outcome is not obtainable by the user without an acceptable unlock code being used to unlock the locked outcome and thereby allow an enjoyment of the intra-game benefit.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable with the first software program to download the locked outcome over the internet prior to receiving the signal comprising the unlock code.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable with the first software program to receive indication of payment from the user, the payment being for the unlock code.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor being operable with the first software program to unlock the locked outcome using the unlock code comprises the processor being operable with the first software program to unlock the locked outcome using the unlock code only if it is first verified that payment for the unlock code has been provided by the user.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the intra-game benefit comprises an advancement within the game.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the advancement in the game is unobtainable by the player without use of the unlock code.

11. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores a second software program for operating the device, and further wherein the processor is operable with the second software program to download at least one of the first software program and a decryption algorithm into the memory.

12. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable with the first software program to verify that the user has completed a qualifying activity that is a prerequisite to unlocking the locked outcome.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the qualifying activity is watching a specified advertisement.

14. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising a GPS detector and wherein the processor is further operable with the first software program to:

detect a location of at least one of the user or the device by use of the GPS detector.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the processor being operable with the first software program to determine an intra-game benefit associated with the unlocked outcome comprises the processor being operable with the first software program to determine an intra-game benefit based on the location.

16. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the intra-game benefit comprises at least one of an enhancement of the game, a modification of the game, a conclusion of the game, an increase in the user'"'"'s chances of winning the game, an increase in the user'"'"'s chances of successfully completing the game, continued access to the game or a game piece usable in the game.

17. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first software program comprises the locked outcome.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for directing a processor of a mobile device to perform a method, the method comprising:

facilitating play of a game on the mobile device by recognizing inputs provided by a user via an input mechanism of the mobile device, at least one of the inputs causing progress in the game;

receiving a signal comprising an unlock code;

determining a locked outcome of the game;

unlocking the locked outcome of the game using the unlock code, thereby determining an unlocked outcome;

determining an intra-game benefit associated with the unlocked outcome; and

providing the intra-game benefit to the user by incorporating the intra-game benefit into the game.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the locked outcome of the game is stored in a memory of the mobile device prior to the unlock code being received and wherein the method further comprises retrieving the locked outcome from the memory.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 further storing the locked outcome of the game prior to receiving the signal comprising the unlock code, wherein the method further comprises accessing the previously stored locked outcome.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises receiving an input from the user via the input mechanism, the input comprising the signal.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein receiving the signal comprising the unlock code comprises receiving the signal from a third party via a network via which the mobile device is operable to communicate with the third party.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a request to use a previously stored unlock code to unlock the locked outcome.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises downloading the locked outcome over the internet prior to receiving the signal comprising the unlock code.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the locked outcome comprises an outcome stored in an encrypted form such that the intra-game benefit associated with the locked outcome is not obtainable by the user without an acceptable unlock code being used to unlock the locked outcome and thereby allow an enjoyment of the intra-game benefit.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, the method further comprising:

receiving indication of payment from the user, the payment being for the unlock code.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the intra-game benefit comprises at least one of an enhancement of the game, a modification of the game, a conclusion of the game, an increase in the user'"'"'s chances of winning the game, an increase in the user'"'"'s chances of successfully completing the game, continued access to the game or a game piece usable in the game.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the wherein the intra-game benefit comprises an advancement within the game.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the advancement in the game is unobtainable by the player without use of the unlock code.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

verifying that the user has completed a qualifying activity that is a prerequisite to unlocking the locked outcome and only allowing the locked outcome to be unlocked if it is verifying that the user has completed the qualifying activity.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the qualifying activity is watching a specified advertisement.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises using a GPS detector of the mobile device to detect a location of at least one of the user or the mobile device.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein determining the intra-game benefit associated with the unlocked outcome comprises determining the intra-game benefit based on the location.