Computer program, method, and system for providing redeemable promotional-valued credits

• US 9,646,461 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DK Crown Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Dlyte, LLC
• Inventors: Shore, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): HARPER, TRAMAR YONG
• Application Number:
  US14/085,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20140141869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/065 using e-cash
• 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 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

An ecommerce platform, available via an interactive electronic resource, allows a user to purchase products and services from the resource, receive promotional-valued credits in return for the purchase, and play games to earn additional promotional-valued credits. The user can purchase products and services at the electronic resource with either or both of a government-issued legal tender, such as the U.S. dollar, or a virtual currency used by the electronic resource, such as the promotional-valued credits. In embodiments of the invention, the user is guaranteed that an amount of legal tender (e.g., the U.S. dollar) paid-in to the ecommerce platform is the same as or less than a fair market value of the products or services purchased via the ecommerce platform.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon for execution by a processor, the computer program operable to provide to a user an electronic resource comprising a website or mobile application where the user can purchase at least one stored value card, receive promotional-valued credits in response to the purchase of the stored value card, and participate in at least one game, wherein execution of the computer program by the processor performs the following steps:

providing the electronic resource accessible by the user via the internet;

receiving user information from the user, wherein the user information is associated with an account for the user accessible at the electronic resource;

presenting, via the electronic resource and to the user, the at least one stored value card available for purchase by the user,

wherein each stored value card is associated with a purchase amount representing a cost to purchase the stored value card and a loaded value in a fiat currency;

receiving, via the electronic resource and from the user, a selection of the at least one stored value card that the user desires to purchase;

awarding the user a first amount of promotional-valued credits for purchasing the stored value card;

providing, via the electronic resource and to the user, at least one game that e user may play,

wherein the user must commit a second amount of promotional-valued credits to initiate play of the game;

allowing the user to play the at least one game at the electronic resource,

wherein play of the game results in an outcome; and

determining a third amount of promotional-valued credits based on the outcome of the user'"'"'s play of the game,

wherein a credit net of the user is the first amount and the third amount less the second amount,

wherein a net return to the user of the loaded value of the stored value card is not less than the purchase amount of the stored value card and the credit net of the user.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein subsequent to the user playing the game, execution of the computer program by the processor performs the step of debiting or crediting the user'"'"'s account based on a difference between the second and third amounts of promotional-valued credits.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein if the user'"'"'s account has a credit after play of the game and the subsequent debiting or crediting of the user'"'"'s account, execution of the computer program by the processor performs the step of receiving, via the electronic resource and from the user, either a selection by the user to purchase another stored value card or a selection by the user to play another game at the electronic resource.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein execution of the computer program by the processor performs the additional step of awarding to the user a fourth amount of promotional-valued credits based on the user'"'"'s selection of an advertisement link displayed on the electronic resource.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the user may purchase promotional-valued credits using fiat currency, digital currency, or virtual currency.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the purchase amount representing the cost to purchase the stored value card is less than or equal to the fair market value for the stored value card.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the purchase amount representing the cost to purchase the stored value card is either a pre-set amount of fiat currency, a pre-set amount of the promotional-valued credits, or a combination of both fiat currency and an amount of the promotional-valued credits.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the user is provided an option, for each stored value card, of purchasing the service stored value card with either the pre-set amount of fiat currency or the pre-set amount of the promotional-valued credits.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein for a user who has not previously purchased a good or service, a first occurrence of the user purchasing the good or service requires the user to purchase the good or service using a fiat currency.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first amount of promotional-valued credits awarded to the user for purchasing the stored value card is dependent on a set of characteristics of the user purchasing the stored value card.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the set of characteristics of the user are selected from the group consisting of:

a length of time the user has been accessing the electronic resource, a frequency the user accesses the electronic resource, and a qualification level of the user.

12. A method of providing to a user a commerce platform via an electronic resource comprising a website or mobile application accessible by the user from the internet where the user can purchase at least one stored value card, receive promotional-valued credits in response to the purchase of the stored value card, and participate in at least one game, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving user information from the user, wherein the user information is associated with an account for the user at the electronic resource;

presenting, via the electronic resource and to the user, the at least one stored value card available for purchase by the user,

wherein each stored value card is associated with a purchase amount representing a cost to purchase the stored value card and a loaded value in a fiat currency;

receiving, via the electronic resource and from the user, a selection of the at least one stored value card that the user desires to purchase;

awarding the user the first amount of promotional-valued credits for purchasing the stored value card;

providing, via the electronic resource and from the user, at least one game that the user may play,

wherein the user must commit a second amount of promotional-valued credits to initiate play of the game;

allowing the user to play the at least one game at the electronic resource,

wherein play of the game results in an outcome;

determining a third amount of promotional-valued credits based on the outcome of the user'"'"'s play of the game,

wherein a credit net of the user is the first amount and the third amount less the second amount,

wherein a net return to the user of the loaded value of the stored value card is not less than the purchase amount of the stored value card and the credit net of the user,

debiting or crediting the user'"'"'s account based on a difference between the second and third amounts of promotional-valued credits.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the promotional-valued credits have a set ratio to a fiat currency.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein if the user'"'"'s account has a credit after play of the game and the subsequent debiting or crediting of the user'"'"'s account, further performing the step of presenting to the user an opportunity to purchase another stored value card or a selection by the user to play another game.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the purchase amount representing the cost to purchase the stored value card is less than or equal to the fair market value for the stored value card.

16. A system for providing to a user an electronic resource comprising a website or mobile application where the user can purchase at least one stored value card, receive promotional-valued credits in response to the purchase of the stored value card, and participate in at least one game, the system comprising:

a memory component for storage of a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon; and

a processor for execution of the computer program, wherein execution of the computer program by the processor performs the following steps;

providing the electronic resource accessible by the user via the internet;

receiving user information from the user, wherein the user information is associated with an account for the user accessible at the electronic resource;

presenting, via the electronic resource and to the user, the at least one stored value card available for purchase by the user,

wherein each stored value card is associated with a purchase amount representing a cost to purchase the stored value card and a loaded value in a fiat currency;

receiving, via the electronic resource and from h user, a selection of the at least one stored value card that the user desires to purchase;

awarding the user the first amount of promotional-valued credits for purchasing the stored value card;

providing, via the electronic resource and to the user, at least one game that the user may play,

wherein the user must commit a second amount of promotional-valued credits initiate play of the game;

allowing the user to play the at least one game at the electronic resource,

wherein play of the game results in an outcome; and

determining a third amount of promotional-valued credits based on the outcome of the user'"'"'s play of the game,

wherein a credit net of the user is the first amount and the third amount less the second amount,

wherein a net return to the user of the loaded value of the stored value card is not less than the purchase amount of the stored value card and the credit net of the user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein subsequent to the user playing the game, execution of the computer program by the processor further performs the step of debiting or crediting the user'"'"'s account based on a difference between the second and third amounts of promotional-valued credits.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein if the user'"'"'s account has a credit after play of the game and the subsequent debiting or crediting of the user'"'"'s account, execution of the computer program by the processor further performs the step of receiving either a selection by the user to purchase another stored value card or a selection by the user to play another game.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the purchase amount representing the cost to purchase the stored value card is equal to the fair market value for the stored value card.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein execution of the computer program by the processor performs the additional step of awarding to the user a fourth amount of promotional-valued credits based on the user'"'"'s selection of an advertisement link displayed on the electronic resource.